11 indoor track athletes earn All-America status at NAIA National Championships

BROOKINGS, S.D. (March 5, 2022) – The Milligan University's indoor track squads had 11 athletes earn All-American designation at the NAIA National Championships at the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex on Saturday.

Milligan had five individuals secure All-American status with top-eight national finishes and both distance medley relays collect All-American honors. The Buffs has six program record performances over the three-day championships with three men's indoor records falling on Saturday.

"I'm so proud of this team and our coaching staff," said head coach Chris Layne. "Across the board, the results this weekend were outstanding, so to get as many as we did to finals and then for our kids to perform the way did says a lot about their buy-in and the talent in this program. We have a bunch of this crew back so they'll have also gained more championship experience that will benefit them down the line."

As a team, Buffs earned a top-10 national team finish on the men's side for the third-straight year. Milligan's men earned four individual All-America honors, set three program records and posted a top-eight finish in the DMR to finish 10th overall. Milligan's women had two All-America awards and finished 34th.

Freshman Bryn Woodall earned All-American honors and set a Milligan 3k record of 8:19.68 in his indoor nationals debut. He had the highest finish of the day for the Buffs.

Aaron Jones also logged a program record and All-American indoor status for the first time in his career. He posted an indoor personal best 14:36.66 to finish fourth overall in the 5k. Teammate Eli Cramer ran 14:49.32 in the 5k to finish 10th.

Will Stockley opened the day with an All-America performance in the mile. He recorded a PB of 4:09.13 to finish fourth.

Freshman Sylas Chambers became an All-American with a sixth-place finish in the men's 800. He ran a career best 1:53.48 and became Milligan's first-ever men's All-American in the indoor 800.

Avery DeWolf Burton collected All-America honors in the women's indoor 3k for the second consecutive year. Burton ran a season best 10:02.46 to finish fifth.

Caitlin Dominy, Megan Christian, Gracie Allen and Burton combined to finish sixth (12:15.35) and earn All-America status in the women's DMR. Rebecca Glover combined with Dominy, Christian and Burton to set Milligan's team record in the DMR (12:06.61) in the prelims on Thursday.

Woodall, Chambers, Alex Windham and Stockley set Milligan's DMR school record of 10:03.79 to finish seventh and reel in All-America honors in the Buffs' final event of the day.

Alyssa Bearzi took 11th in the 5k final in 17:46.81 after setting the school record in the event on Thursday (17:22.49) in the prelims.

NAIA All-Americans

Avery DeWolf Burton – 3000m – 5th, 10:02.46
Caitlin Dominy, Megan Christian, Gracie Allen, Avery DeWolf Burton, Rebecca Glover (p) – DMR – 6th, 12:15.34

Sylas Chambers – 800 – 6th, 1:53.48
Aaron Jones – 5000m – 4th, 14:36.66*
Will Stockley – Mile – 4th, 4:09.51
Bryn Woodall – 3000m – 3rd, 8:19.68*
Bryn Woodall, Sylas Chambers, Alex Windham, Will Stockley, Jake Crow (p) – DMR – 7th, 10:03.78*

* - Milligan Record