PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo concluded action here Saturday in the 2023 NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl.

In Saturday's third and final day of competition, the Pack claimed four national runner-up finishes and had seven student-athletes earn All-America honors, including six First-Team All-America accolades.

The Pack got the day started in the women's shot put as sophomore Katherine Higgins (Mead, Colo./Ponderosa) and freshman Febe Wessels (Pretoria, South Africa) competed in the event.

In the event, Higgins claimed national runner-up honors after finishing second in the event with a school record toss of 15.66 meters (51-4.50") to earn First-Team All-American honors. It is Higgins' second national runner-up finish this season in the shot put as she also was the national runner-up in the shot put at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships. Minnesota State senior Lexi Hurst recorded a toss of 16.41 meters (53-10.25") to claim the national title in the women's shot put.

Along with Higgin, Wessels just missed qualifying for the finals in the event as she recorded a career-best toss of 14.78 meters (48-6) to finish in 10th place and earn Second-Team All-American honors. During the indoor season, Wessels was a First-Team All-American after placing sixth in the shot put at the NCAA Indoor National Championships. The top nine student-athletes in the preliminaries advanced to the final round of three throws.

The second event for the Pack on Saturday was the men's shot put as seniors Nate Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Widefield) and Justin Jenks (Helena, Mont./Helena Capital) competed for the ThunderWolves.

In the event, both Miller and Jenks earned spots on the awards podium and First-Team All-American status. Miller recorded a school record toss of 18.89 meters (61-11.75") to post a national runner-up finish. Miller's school record toss came on his sixth and final throw of the competition. He also recorded a toss of 18.15 in the preliminaries and 18.88 on his second throw in the finals.

In addition to Miller, Jenks earned a spot on the podium and First-Team All-America honors after finishing fourth with a toss of 18.28 meters (59-11.75"). Jenks' throw came on his third and final toss in the preliminaries. In the finals, his best throw was 17.39 meters (57-0.75"). The Pack scored 13 points as a team in the shot put thanks to Miller and Jenks' second and fourth place finishes.

West Chester (Pa.) senior Ralph Casper took home the national title in the men's shot put with a toss of 19.27 meters (63-2.75").

The next event for the Pack was the women's 800-meter run which featured sophomore Helen Braybrook (Frieston, United Kingdom/Oakham School), who ran the top qualifying time in Friday's preliminaries. Braybrook led throughout most of the race, until Embry-Riddle senior Ukeyvia Beckwith overtook Braybrook down the stretch and captured the national title with a time of 2:06.73. Braybrook finished as the national runner-up in the event with a personal best time of 2:07.72. It was her second national runner-up finish this year as she also finished second in the 800 meters during the indoor season at the NCAA Championships.

The final event for the Pack on Saturday was the men's 800-meter run that featured sophomore Reece Sharman-Newell (Hampshire, England) and junior Kaleb Tipton (Lawton, Okla./Lawton). Sharman-Newell entered the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 seed in the event and recorded the fourth fastest time in Friday's qualifying, while Tipton ran the third fastest qualifying time on Friday.

In Saturday's final, Sharman-Newell led for the first 650 meters of the 800-meter race but was passed down the final stretch by Nebraska-Kearney junior Wes Ferguson, who captured the national title with an NCAA Division II meet record time of 1:45.46. Sharman-Newell was the National Runner-up with a season-best time of 1:47.31.

Along with Sharman-Newell, who as the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champion in both the 800 and 1,500-meter runs, Tipton also earned a spot on the podium and First-Team All-America honors as he finished sixth with a season-best time of 1:48.54. Thanks to Sharman-Newell and Tipton, the Pack scored 11 points in the 800 meters.

The Pack men finished the championships with a total of 24 points and that placed them in a tie for 13th place with Azusa Pacific overall. The tie for 13th place is the highest for CSU Pueblo since placing 10th with 22 points at the 2019 NCAA Division II National Championships held in Kingsville, Texas.

Pittsburg State captured its second consecutive Division II national title in men's track and field as they recorded a total of 62 points in 21 events. The Gorillas also won the team title in 2022 with 70 points. West Texas A&M was second with 47 points and Adams State was third with 44 points.  

On the women's side, the Pack finished in 18th place with 17 points as they scored eight points in both the shot put and 800 meters and added a point in the high jump. The 18th place finish is the best for the program since also finishing 15th at the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championships hosted by Grand Valley State University.

On the women's side, the team champion was Azusa Pacific as they scored 66 points in 21 events. The national title for Azusa Pacific was the second in the school's history and first since 2021 when they captured the title in Allendale, Mich. Minnesota State was second with 57 points and West Texas A&M was third with 49 points.

Here are the individual national champions that were earned on Saturday's final day of the NCAA Division II National Championships.

MEN
Javelin – Devoux Deysel (Angelo State), 79.14 meters (259-8) – Meet and Division II Record
High Jump – Cordell Tinch (Pittsburg State), 2.21 meters (7-3)
Shot Put – Ralph Chester (West Chester), 19.27 meters (63-2.75")
4-x-100 Relay – West Texas A&M, 38.70 – Meet and Division II Record
1,500 Meters – Luke Julian (Colorado School of Mines), 3:53.98
110 Hurdles – Cordell Tinch (Pittsburg State), 12.87
400 Meters – Dakarai Bush (Harding), 45.67
100 Meters – Makanakaisha Charamba (Carson-Newman), 10.02
800 Meters – Wes Ferguson (Nebraska-Kearney), 1:45.46 – Meet Record
400 Hurdles – Troy Whyte (Lincoln (Mo.)), 49.79
200 Meters – Makabakaishe Charamba (Carson-Newman), 20.19
5,000 Meters – Awet Berakl (Adams State), 14:13.69
4-x-400 Relay – West Texas A&M, 3:05.80

WOMEN
Pole Vault – Kyla Davis (Pittsburg State), 4.20 meters (13-9.25")
Javelin – Molly Olson (Azusa Pacific), 50.54 meters (165-10)
Shot Put – Lexi Hurst (Minnesota State), 16.41 meters (53-10.25")
4-x-100 Relay – Lincoln (Mo.), 44.20
Triple Jump – Auna Childress (Pittsburg State), 13.37 – Meet and Division II Record
1,500 Meters – Celine Ritter (Lee (Tenn.)), 4:36.09
100 Hurdles – Denisha Cartwright (Minnesota State), 12.94
400 Meters – Shereen Vallabouy (Winona State), 52.74
100 Meters – Divonne Franklin (California (Pa.)), 11.09
800 Meters – Ukeyvia Beckwith (Embry-Riddle), 2:06.73
400 Hurdles –Jaylah Walker (Azusa Pacific), 57.61
200 Meters – Divonne Franklin (California (Pa.)), 22.77
5,000 Meters – Lindsey Cunningham (Winona State), 16:23.08
4x-400 Relay – Northwest Missouri State, 3:33.44