Day 1 of the NAIA Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship
BROOKINGS, S.D. – The 2022 NAIA Women's Indoor Track & Field National Championship returned to Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex on the campus of South Dakota State. It is the fourth straight year that the national meet is hosted by Dakota State (S.D.).
- The 42nd annual running of the three-day women’s national meet kicked off by crowning the first national individual title of the 2022 meet in the pentathlon.
- The pentathlon featured a closely tight contest between Erin Oleksak of Marian (Ind.) and Lauren Tamayo of Hastings (Neb.).
- Oleksak overtook the lead over Tamayo by three points before heading to the final event of the pentathlon.
- Oleksak finished second in the 800-meters in 2 minutes, 23.80 seconds, and racked up 3,735 points to win the pentathlon national title.
- It was Oleksak’s second national pentathlon title in three years for the Knights. She won two titles in the high jump and the long jump, as well as a pair of second places in the 60-meter hurdles and 800-meters.
- Tamayo of Hastings earned the national runner-up honor in the pentathlon with 3,706 points.
- Marian and Doane (Neb.) are currently tied for first place in the women’s team standings after the first day.
- Lindsay Adams placed third in the pentathlon, while her teammate Nicole Harms finished fifth to fuel the Tigers to 10 points after the first day.
- There were four semifinals events that took place on the first day – three relay events (4x800-meter relay, 4x400-meter relay, and distance medley relay) and 5000-meter run.
- Friends (Kan.) took the top time in the 4x800-meter relay semifinals, finishing ahead of second-place Dordt (Iowa).
- Life (Ga.) clocked the top time in the 4x400-meter relay semifinals with a time of 3:46.37, while the Dordt Defenders are second in 3:50.79.
- The Master’s (Calif.) took the top time in the distance medley relay in 11:57.61.
The NAIA women’s indoor track & field national championships continue Friday with the women’s 3000-meter walk at 10:30 a.m. The field events start at 1 p.m. with the women’s long jump, followed by women’s pole vault at 3 p.m., and women’s weight throw at 3 p.m.
Numerous semifinal running events take place Friday, starting with the women’s 1-mile run at 12 p.m. The women’s 4 x 800-meter relay national final is set for Friday at 5:20 p.m.