PITTSBURG, Kan. – Surviving late drama in the final event and senior Gracie Hyde clinching two individual titles, the Adams State University women's indoor track and field team won their sixth NCAA Division II (1992-Present) championship on Saturday night inside the Robert Plaster Center on the campus of Pittsburg State University.
The Grizzlies now boast seven overall titles, including their 1985 NAIA triumph, alongside previous DII victories in 2008, 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2023. This marks the first consecutive championship for the Grizzlies, securing title No. 41 for Head Coach Damon Martin (22 women's cross country, 10 men's cross country, 6 women's indoor track & field, 2 men's indoor track & field, 1 men's outdoor track & field). The win is Adams State's 42nd NCAA Division II title and Adams State is the active leader in national titles. Abeline Christian is first with 57 team titles.
In a nail-biting team race on Saturday, Adams State narrowly edged past Pittsburg State with a 2.5-point victory, finishing 67-64.5.
On the men's front, the Grizzlies secured third place with 55 points. Despite their efforts, the host Gorillas claimed the team title with 69 points, also going back-to-back, while Grand Valley State's late surge pushed them past the Grizzlies with a total of 56.5 points.
Hyde clinched her first title in the mile, dominating with a time of 4:38.74, followed by a commanding win in the 3,000-meter run at 9:22.44. Senior Brianna Robles contributed to the team's success with a third-place finish in 9:25.73.
Additionally, sophomore Lieke Hoogsteen secured two points with a seventh-place finish in the 800 meters, clocking in at 2:11.15.
In the men's events, junior Miguel Coca secured second place in the mile, closely trailing behind Grand Valley junior Caleb Futter with a time of 4:18.30. Senior Jonah Vigil narrowly missed first place in the 400-meter, finishing second with a time of 46.96.
Senior David Cardenas impressed with an eight-point contribution, achieving a personal best time of 1:48.60 in the 800 meters.
Despite a collision at the finish line, Coca claimed second place in the men's 3,000-meter run at 7:57.86. Yonas Haile finished in ninth place with a new personal best of 8:10.11, while senior Dayton Brown followed closely in 11th place with the same time.
The Grizzlies' exceptional performances across various events solidified their place as champions once again, etching their names in NCAA Division II track and field history.
