BROOKINGS, S.D. – The second day of the NAIA Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship saw an exciting end to the heptathlon national title that was decided by a margin of three points on Friday at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex. The 59^th annual running of the national meet is hosted by Dakota State (S.D.). Six national titles were won on day two of the competition.

Cumberlands (Ky.) took a slim lead in the men’s team standings with a total of 27 points. The Patriots hold a half-point lead over Midland (Neb.) with 26.5 points. Dakota State is third with 18 points, followed by Marian (Ind.) in fourth with 15 points and Graceland (Iowa) in fifth with 12 points.

• The heptathlon went down to the wire during the grueling final event, the 1000 meter run. Mason Schleis of Mount Marty (Iowa) was second after the first day, but leading into the 1000 meter run, he was in fourth place in the heptathlon standings.
• Schleis ran a time of 2:40.08 in the 1000 meter run for 873 points, which led him to the first heptathlon national title in Mount Marty history with 5,157 points. He edged Treshawn Roberts of Dakota State (S.D.) by three points in the heptathlon (5,154 points).
• Nigel Steenwinkel of Cumberlands (Ky.) was third in the heptathlon with 5,123 points, followed by Robert Atwater of Midland (Neb.) was fourth with 5,111 points.
• Cumberlands (Ky.) took the team lead after the 3000 meter racewalk, which was highlighted by three runners placing in the top four for 21 points.
• Dillian Melchiore became the first Patriot to win the 3000 meter racewalk national title in school history after clocking a time of 12:56.89. His teammates, Cole Bennett finished third in 13:21.72 and Carson Johnson fourth in 13:22.62.
• Nine running events semifinals took place Friday.
• Calvin Rohde of Concordia (Neb.) claimed the top time in the 1 mile run with a time of 4:12.91.
• Emmanuel Niang of Talladega (Ala.) posted a personal record time of 7.90 seconds for the fastest time in the 60 meter hurdles. The 60 meter hurdles final will feature four seniors, three juniors, and a sophomore.
• Tyrece Grant of Texas Wesleyan edged Joseph Taylor of Southeastern (Fla.) for the top time in the 400 meter dash by .009 seconds. Both runners earned personal records.
• Joaquin Gutierrez of Doane (Neb.) clocked a career-best time of 1:17.64 to secure the top time in the 600 meter run. Payton Mauldin, the lone returner from last year’s 600 meter run national final, finished fourth in the semifinals in 1:20.21.
• A new weight throw national champion was crowned for the first time since 2021 (Matthew Campbell of Doane had won the previous three national weight throw titles). 
• Isaiah Tipping of Marian (Ind.), who was fifth in last year’s national weight throw, was the only thrower who tossed 20-plus meter attempts (except for his foul attempt on his second throw). He won the national title with a toss of 21.25 meters (69 feet, 8.75 inches).
• William Carey (Miss.) claimed the top two times in the 60 meter dash semifinal, led by freshman Barnabas Aggerh in 6.65 seconds and Derrick Harbin in 6.68 seconds.
• Eight different schools will be competing in the 800 meter final. Joel Forbes of Cumberland (Tenn.) in heat one and Carter Gordon of Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) in heat two each won a heat with a time of 1:54.06. Carter Huyser of Kansas Wesleyan captured the third heat with a time of 1:55.01.
• Freshman Luca Santorum of Cumberlands (Ky.) captured the fastest time in the 1000 meter run with a time of 2:23.99.  Cumberlands (Ky.) and Saint Mary (Kan.) will have a pair of runners in the 1000 meters final on Saturday.
• Michael Millslagle of Graceland (Iowa) repeated as the men’s high jump title winner after clearing the height of 2.14 meters (7 feet, .25 inches). Shandon Reitzell of Midland, who was the last two-peat high jump national champion in 2021 and 2022, finished fourth with 2.05 meters (6 feet, 8.75 inches).
• Three Cumberlands (Ky.) athletes had secured a spot in the 3000 meter final, including freshman Youssef Asslouj with the fastest time in the field (8 minutes, 28.30 seconds). 
• There was just a .15 seconds difference between the top runner and the eighth-place runners in the 200 meter dash, highlighted by freshman Edwin Nyamutswa from Mount Marty with a personal record time of 21.07 seconds.
• Oklahoma City won their first 4x800 meter relay title. Kanyon Cobbs, Brendan Robeaux, Tate Smithhart, and Evert Silva hit the team’s season-best time of 7:32.65 to win the national title.
• Atwater of Marian edged out Dustin Blevins of Montreat (N.C.) to win the men’s long jump title. On his first attempt, Atwater hit a personal record leap of 7.52 meters (24 feet, 8.25 inches). Blevins recorded a season-best mark of 7.50 meters (24 feet, 7.25 inches).

Fifteen national titles will be up for grabs on the final day of NAIA Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship  Saturday’s first final starts with the 1 mile run at 12:35 p.m. CT. The field events start at 1:15 p.m. CT with the pole vault.

The NAIA Championship Ceremonies will start at noon CT. After the conclusion of the national meet, the awards ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. CT.