Virginia Beach, Virginia – Behind two national champions and seven First Team All-American performances, Adams State capped off the 2026 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships with a strong final day and a third-place team finish for the women.
Ava O'Connor was the first national champion crowned for the Grizzlies, winning the women's mile with a time of 4:44.04. O'Connor battled down the stretch to edge RMAC foe Helen Braybrook of CSU Pueblo by just .45 seconds to secure the title.
Lieke Hoogsteen also crossed the line as a national champion, running 2:04.23 in the women's 800 meters to secure a personal best, indoor school record and the championship title. Running nearly four seconds faster than her preliminary time from the day before, Hoogsteen reset her own indoor school record, previously set at 2:05.15 in February.
The Grizzlies continued to add to their medal haul throughout the final day of competition.
O'Connor returned to the track in the women's 3,000 meters, finishing second with a time of 9:19.24 to claim another First Team All-American honor.
In the men's mile, Louis O'Loughlin earned a third-place finish with a time of 4:12.07, adding another podium performance for the Grizzlies.
Sam Dirkes also claimed a third-place finish in the men's shot put with a mark of 18.49 meters, securing First Team All-American honors.
Also competing in the women's 3,000 meters were Tristian Spence and Maggie McCleskey. Spence took home fourth place and First Team All-American honors, crossing the finish line in 9:21.95. McCleskey earned Second Team All-American honors with a 15th-place finish in 9:45.65.
Rounding out the Grizzlies' First Team All-American honors was Felix Perrier in the men's 3,000 meters. In a Grizzly-heavy race, Perrier placed eighth with a time of 7:59.70, finishing just two seconds ahead of Kidus Begashaw, who earned Second Team All-American honors with a time of 8:01.78.
Thibault Tauziede and Juan Rosales also took home Second Team All-American honors in the men's 3,000 meters, crossing the finish line in 8:03.49 and 8:13.39 to place 11th and 15th, respectively.
Marie Garret earned Second Team All-American honors in the women's mile, finishing ninth with a time of 4:50.68.
The Grizzlies scored 47 points on the women's side to claim third place overall and the highest finish among RMAC schools. Pittsburg State captured the team title with 69.5 points. The Adams State men finished 12th with 18 points, while Pittsburg State also claimed the men's title with 75.5 points.
Adams State closes the indoor season with multiple national champions and a host of All-American performances before turning its attention to the outdoor season, which begins next weekend at CSU Pueblo.
