Results

EMPORIA, Kan. - Hannah Miller, Zoe Baker, and Duncan Fuehne each scored fourth-place podium finishes to lead Colorado School of Mines on the opening day of the 2024 NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships at Emporia State.

All three secured First-Team All-America status, with Miller doing so in the pole vault and Baker and Fuehne doing it in the 10,000m. The Orediggers added two more Second-Team All-America finishes on Thursday with Molly Maksin (10K) and Avery Herbold (pole vault), and advanced two runners to track finals later in the weekend.

Miller wrapped up her incredible career with a ninth all-America award, finishing fourth in the pole vault. A quartet of Orediggers - Miller,  Herbold, Dale Thompson, and Ava Kowalski - battled a strong tailwind throughout the competition, with Miller clearing 4.10m for fourth, Herbold 3.85m to tie for 10th, Thompson 3.70m for 18th, and Kowalski suffering an early exit with no height. Miller's podium makes her the most decorated field athlete in program history as she departs with a national championship and three medals to go with nine indoor and outdoor all-America honors. Herbold also earned Second-Team All-America status with her 10th-place finish, the third of her career as she tied her best-ever nationals finish. 

The 10,000m finals were delayed more than an hour by lightning, but that didn't stop a large contingent of Orediggers despite warm, breezy, and humid conditions. In the men's race, Fuehne ran a season-best 29:35.90, staying with a fast lead pace and kicking with impressive final laps of 67 and 63 seconds to secure a career-best fourth place. Four other Orediggers in the race came in consecutively as Logan Bocovich (30:33), Paul Knight (31:01), Dawson Gunn (31:07), and JP Rutledge (31:26) finished 13th through 16th, respectively.

The women's race was more strategic, and Baker remained with the lead pack of four until a kilometer to go before running the last three laps solo to earn her 14th career all-America honor and third career 10K podium. Baker ran a season-best 34:43.52. Maksin ran ninth in a season-best 35:48.49, with Holly Moser 16th in 36:54.57 and Grace Strongman 17th in 37:03.38.

Mines advanced two runners from track prelims to finals later in the meet as Riley McGrath moved on in the 1,500m and Margaux Basart in the 3,000m steeplechase. McGrath qualified on time with a 4:35.14 1,500m, benefiting from the fast heat to be the eighth out of 12 to advance. Basart ran the fastest at-large qualifying time in 10:35.87, her personal collegiate best, to be the fifth-fastest into Friday's final. In the men's 1,500m, Brock Drengenberg was unlucky to not advance on time, running 3:52.89 (ninth-fastest overall) but being bumped by four slower times from another heat. Alberto Campa finished 18th in 4:01.55. 

In the field, Lexye Wood closed her record-setting Mines career with a 5.77m best in the long jump, placing 16th. Wood improved on her series every jump with attempts of 5.46m and 5.64m before her best third attempt. Kitt Rupar competed in the first of her three events this weekend, placing 18th in the hammer throw with a best attempt of 49.81m. She will continue the meet with the discus on Friday and the shot put on Saturday. 

Friday's action starts at 4:30 p.m. CT for Mines with the discus, and Aryelle Wright (800) and Everett Delate (110m hurdles) will be in prelim action at 6:15 p.m. before Basart's steeplechase final at 7:30 p.m.