MARION, Ind. – (Release from LC State College Athletics) Competition begins on Wednesday at the 2023 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships for LC State Track and Field. The Warriors have 15 individuals and three relays in Indiana for this year’s national meet, hosted by Indiana Wesleyan.
LC State is the only school to have three individuals compete in the decathlon this season, led by Cascade Conference Champion Christian Bothwell. The senior is ranked 10th heading into the meet, Justin Krabbenhoft is 12th and Caleb Moore is seeded 16th. The two-day, 10-event multi runs on the first two days of the meet.
The first event final of the meet for the Warriors will feature two-time All-American Kea Stieglitz in the javelin throw. The junior is seeded 19th heading into the event. Freshman Chloe Overberg will close out the day as the 36th seed in the 10,000m.
The first running event for the Warriors is the men’s 4x100m relay. LC is ranked 28th in the event with the group of Jedidiah Barnaby, London Kirk, Jordan Castillo and Krabbenhoft slated to run. The men’s 4x800m relay will also runs its prelim on day one as the 25th seed with Cooper Carlson, Carter Gordon, Kobe Wessels and Conner May in the mix to race.
All-American Ashley Britt will wrap up her storied career at nationals in the 400m hurdles. She is the No. 10 seed in the event, and junior Ike Hopper is ranked 17th in the men’s edition of the 400m hurdles.
Brooklyn Shell will run the preliminary race of the 1,500m as the No. 18 seed and Kirk will run his first solo race as the 23rd seed in the 200m.
Along with the conclusion of the decathlon, Madigan Kelly will be the first on the track for LC on day two in the 100m hurdles prelims. The Lewiston native is ranked 17th in the event. Griffen Parsells will run the 800m as the 16th seeded runner, and Kirk will compete in his second solo race of the week as the No. 14 seed in the 400m.
Orofino’s Sydnie Zywina will compete in the triple jump after shattering her school record at the conference meet. Her event is the lone field event for LC on day two.
The women’s 4x400m relay will runs its prelim to wrap up the day. The team of Anika Grogan, Emily Collins, Sara Hathaway and Geraldin Correa are ranked 21st.
On top of the running finals on day three, three Warriors will battle for All-American finishes in field events. Nik Bertling will look to close out his career as a two-time All-American in the pole vault as the No. 13 seed, and freshman Trenton Johnson will make his national-meet debut as the 26th ranked athlete in the triple jump.
Indoor National Champion Jennah Carpenter will compete to defend her title in the high jump after missing most of the outdoor season with an injury. The Lewiston native earned All-American honors in the high jump and pentathlon at indoor nationals. She is seeded seventh in the high jump.
