As many students were busy planning their spring break plans, athletes from five different varsity sports competed at their respective NCAA Division II National Championships, hoping to earn an individual title. Eight athletes from the wrestling, men’s and women’s track, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams each represented Mines in their event. In honor of their performance at the national level, here are their results.
Mack McClain, Men’s Track – McClain, a senior, posted a time of 4:08.32 in the mile run, placing first overall and earning his third career career individual national championship and the fifth individual title in school history. McClain currently holds the record in the mile run at 4:02.70.
Mens DMR, Men’s Track – Mack McClain, Peter Jenkins, Ryan Hanley, and Ben Zywicki combined to place second in the Men’s Distance Medley relay in a time of 9:58.18. The finish is Mines’ fourth consecutive top five finish in the event and is the highest finish in school history.
Ryan Hanley, Men’s Track – Hanley, a sophomore from Anchorage, Alaska, placed seventh overall in the 800m run in a time of 1:53.91. It was Hanley’s first appearance in an individual event at the indoor championships and his best individual finish overall as he earns his second and third career All-American honors.
Jordan Larsen, Wrestling – Larsen, a junior from Bayfield, Colorado, fell in his opening match against Tad Merritt, ranked second in the nation, by a score of 5-3. Larsen would then go on to defeat Jake Varilek 10-4 in session two before falling in his third match to fourth ranked Matt Gille 5-1. Larsen was Mines’ only representative at the championships.
Andrew Zerwick, Men’s Swim and Dive – Zerwick, a junior, placed second in the 200 backstroke in 1:47.52, thirteenth in the Men’s 100 backstroke (50.17), and twentieth in the 200 freestyle (1:40.71) at the Men’s Swimming National Championships. The second place finish is the highest career finish for Zerwick and shatters the previous school school record in the event. It is also the second highest finish in school history and the highest finish by an Oredigger in the 200 backstroke.
Brianna Suppes, Women’s Track – Suppes, a sophomore, recently broke her own school record in the pole vault, clearing 12’0.5″. Suppes, one of two women representing mines at the national championships, posted a no height mark in the women’s pole vault.
Kiera Benson, Women’s Track – Benson, a senior from Needville, Texas, posted the eleventh best preliminary time in the women’s 60m at 7.64s, but did not qualify for the finals. Benson currently holds the school record in the event at 7.52s.
