Previous trips to NCAA Division III Championship meets for several members of the Central College track and field program has them prepared for this year’s outdoor championships.

Brock Lewis is making his third appearance on the national long jump scene. Earlier this spring he finished fourth at the Division III Indoor Championships. He capped his 2021 outdoor season with a sixth-place national effort. He enters this year’s meet with the top qualifying mark at 24 feet, 10.5 inches.

High jumper Sam Beatty is also appearing for the third time at a national meet. He earned his first All-American honor with an eighth-place leap at the indoor championships. He finished off the podium in 13th at the 2021 outdoor championships. He has the No. 2 qualifying mark in Division III for this year’s meet (6-10.25).

Two of Central’s four qualified decathletes got their first taste of the national meet during the indoor season. Brody Klein finished 11th in the heptathlon and Lucas Heitz finished 16th in their national debuts. They’ll be a steadying presence for teammates Reid Pakkebier and Jaxon Thompson in their first national experience. The quartet qualified at No. 14, No. 17, No. 18 and No. 20 respectively.

The lone Dutch women’s qualifier Caroline McMartin is in her first national track meet, but she was a national cross-country qualifier in the fall. The 3,000-meter steeplechaser has dropped 22 seconds off her time since the first mark of the season, nearly breaking the 11-minute mark before a fall at the American Rivers Conference Championships slowed her down. She qualified at No. 18 in 11:00.29.

Theo Baldus is ready for his national meet debut in the discus throw. The senior got the throw he needed at the Augustana Midwest Twilight Qualifier and enters with the No. 16 throw (165-3). 

The eight Central student-athletes are set to compete Thursday through Saturday at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

Central College NCAA Championships schedule of events

Thursday, May 26 (All Times are Eastern Standard Time)

10:30 a.m. – men’s discus throw (prelims and finals)

11:30 a.m. – men’s decathlon (100-meter dash)

12:15 p.m. – men’s decathlon (long jump)

1:25 p.m. – men’s decathlon (shot put)

2:30 p.m. – men’s long jump (prelims and finals)

2:45 p.m. – men’s decathlon (high jump)

4:40 p.m. – men’s decathlon (400-meter dash)

7:35 p.m. – women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase (prelims)

Friday, May 27

10 a.m. – men’s decathlon (110-meter hurdles)

10:45 a.m. – men’s decathlon (discus throw)

12:00 p.m. – men’s decathlon (pole vault)

2 p.m. – men’s high jump (final)

2:45 p.m. – men’s decathlon (javelin throw)

4:30 p.m. – men’s decathlon (1500 meters)

Saturday, May 28

11:30 a.m. – women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase (final)