VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Colorado State University Pueblo opened the 2026 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in historic fashion Friday as the ThunderWolves women's distance medley relay team successfully defended its national championship, breaking the NCAA Division II record with a time of 11:08.20 at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.
The quartet of Jadyn Herron, Gabrielle Dunich, Charlotte Young, and Helen Braybrook delivered a dominant performance in the championship race, leading CSU Pueblo to its second consecutive national title in the event while lowering the previous Division II record with their historic mark.
Herron set the tone for the Pack, opening the race with a 3:25.04 split in the 1200-meter first leg, putting CSU Pueblo firmly in contention in second place early in the race.
Dunich followed with a strong 55.99 split in the 400-meter second leg, maintaining the ThunderWolves' position in second while keeping the Pack within striking distance of the lead.
Young then took the baton for the 800-meter third leg, continuing CSU Pueblo's steady pace with a 2:09.94 split to hold the ThunderWolves in second heading into the anchor leg. Earlier in the day, Young had already qualified for the finals of the individual 800 meters, adding to a strong opening day for the junior.
With the race on the line, Braybrook delivered a spectacular anchor performance. Facing a sizable deficit to Kalkidan Vincendeau of West Texas A&M, Braybrook steadily reeled in the leader before unleashing a decisive finishing kick in the closing laps of the 1600-meter anchor leg.
The British standout crossed the line in 4:37.25 for the anchor split, securing the victory and completing the record-breaking time of 11:08.20 for the ThunderWolves.
The win marks Braybrook's third career NCAA national championship, further cementing her status as one of the premier distance runners in Division II.
Men's DMR Earns All-America Honors
The ThunderWolves also earned All-America honors on the men's side in the distance medley relay, as the quartet of Caleb McLeod, Ryan King, Tim Anstett, and Jon Sweepe finished fifth overall in the national championship race.
The Pack turned in a strong performance against the nation's top programs, clocking a time of 9:41.83 to secure a top-five finish and First Team All-America honors.
ThunderWolves Advance Multiple Athletes to Finals
CSU Pueblo also saw success in the preliminary rounds Friday, advancing several athletes to championship finals.
Charlotte Young secured a spot in the women's 800-meter final, running a strong 2:09.17 in the preliminaries to move on to Saturday's championship race.
Helen Braybrook, the defending NCAA Division II Indoor Champion in the 800 meters, advanced to the women's mile final after posting a time of 4:48.18 in the prelims.
On the men's side, the ThunderWolves advanced two athletes to the finals of the men's 800 meters.
Tim Anstett ran 1:49.34 to qualify for the final, while Caleb McLeod followed closely behind with a time of 1:50.01 to also punch his ticket to Saturday's championship race.
Looking Ahead
The final day of competition begins Saturday as the ThunderWolves look to build on their historic opening day.
Xavier Freeman will be the first CSU Pueblo athlete in action, as he is scheduled to compete in the men's shot put finals at 2:45 p.m. EST. Febe Wessels will also represent the ThunderWolves in the women's shot put finals later in the day.
Meanwhile, Young, Braybrook, Anstett, and McLeod will all return to the track to compete in their respective championship finals.
With a national championship, NCAA record, multiple All-America performances, and several finalists already secured, CSU Pueblo enters the final day of the 2026 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships with strong momentum.
