Championships-bound Buffs

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (March 2, 2021) – Eighteen Buffaloes are heading to the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships this week to represent the Milligan University men and No. 18 women.

The 56th annual men's and 41st annual women's events will take place Wednesday-Saturday, March 3-6, at Ruth Donohoe First Dakota Fieldhouse on the campus of Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota.

Avery DeWolf headlines the Milligan women as a four-time Appalachian Athletic Conference champion this season and reigning NAIA indoor track athlete of the week. Tim Thacker, the NAIA South Region men's track athlete of the year and AAC athlete of the year, headlines the Milligan men, also as a four-time AAC champion.

DeWolf will compete in the 3000-meter run ranked No. 5 nationally while Thacker will compete in the mile ranked No. 2.

Also earning a trip to the national championship events are Gabrielle Mardis, ranked No. 13 in the 3k, and Bekah Owen and Alyssa Bearzi, ranked No. 8 and No. 11 in the 5k, respectively. Nathan Baker, Eli Cramer and Jake Crow rank No. 13, No. 16 and No. 19 in the 3k.

Several other Buffs are making the trip as qualifiers in the distance medley relay and 4x800 meter relay (women) and distance medley relay (men). These include Gracie Allen, Caitlin Dominy, Rebecca Glover, Valentina Kenjeres, Kaelyn Slaughter and Kiley Wood on the women's side and Luke Avery, Ethan Pfister, Austin Walker and Sam Wehner on the men's side.

For more information on the event, please visit naia.org. For the complete list of Milligan's events, please see below.

Milligan's Schedule of Events (All times CST)

Wednesday

9:15 a.m. – Women's 4x800 Meter Relay Semifinal
11:15 a.m. – Women's DMR Semifinal

Thursday

11:15 a.m. – Men's DMR Semifinal
12:40 p.m. – Men's Mile Semifinal
3:35 p.m. – Men's 3k Semifinal

Friday

9:30 a.m. – Women's 4x800 Meter Relay Final
2:30 p.m. – Women's 3k Final
3:00 p.m. – Women's 5k Final
3:25 p.m. – Women's DMR Final

Saturday

11:30 a.m. – Men's Mile Final
2:30 p.m. – Men's 3k Final
3:25 p.m. – Men's DMR Final