2021 NCAA DII Indoor T&F Championships – Day 1 Recap
Get ready for the NCAA Division II all-time list to get a new look.
It started with the first day of competition at the 2021 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, as three champions turned in top-10 marks in their respective events.
Williamson Claims Pentathlon Crown
Cheyenne Williamson came into the meet 70 points shy of the NCAA DII all-time list with her qualifying score of 3906. She will leave a meet with a national title and as the No. 5 performer all-time with 4113 points.
The sophomore from Saginaw Valley State opened the competition with a win in the 60H for an early lead in the pentathlon standings. She cleared the hurdles in 8.44 to match her PR from the GLIAC Championships.
She then finished fifth in the high jump with a clearance of 1.67m (5-5¾) before finishing third in the shot put with a PR throw of 11.20m (36-9) to regain the lead.
It was all Williamson after that.
She set two more PRs en route to her national championship. She soared 6.06m (19-10¾) in the long jump, which would move her up to No. 5 nationally this season. Williamson sealed the pentathlon win as she crossed the line in 2:22.56 for 800.
Mungro Hits NCAA DII All-Time Throw
The men’s weight throw title is heading back to Findlay, Ohio.
Sterling Mungro claimed the national championship on his third throw of the day with a heave of 22.45m (73-08). He worked his way up the ranks, as he was ranked No. 5 in Round 1 (19.10m/62-8) and No. 3 in Round 2 (20.52m/67-4) before his event leading toss.
Three men tried to chase down Mungro in the finals, but none were able to surpass his mark. Decio Andrade of Angelo State moved from fourth to third with his runner-up throw of 21.77m (71-5¼) in the final round, bumping Tanner Berg of Northern State to third and Brent Fairbanks of Ashland to fourth.
This is the fifth national title in the last seven championships that an Oiler athlete has claimed the weight throw crown.
Taylor Wins Women’s Weight Title
As they say – last one, best one.
That was the case for Katie Taylor.
Already leading the competition since Round 4 with a mark of 20.44m (67-0¾), the senior from Minnesota State improved up her lead in PR fashion with a heave of 21.17m (69-5½ ) to win the national championship in the weight throw. This was a PR for Taylor by more than four feet and is now the No. 9 performer in NCAA Division II all-time.
This is the first national championship for the Mavericks in the event.