HICKORY, NC - The Lenoir-Rhyne Men's and Women's Track & Field programs look to continue their string of success at the National Championships this year in Pueblo, Colorado.

The men's team sees two individuals selected, with Havyn Spain going in the 400m and Oliver Thatcher in the Decathlon. Spain has had a breakout freshman campaign for the Bears, winning the SAC Outdoor Championship in the 400 meters with a time of 46.69, which set a new school record and ranks him 17th in the country. Thatcher was one of just 16 decathletes selected for the championship meet, with his total of 6947 points being good enough for 14th in the nation. That mark was good enough to win him his first SAC Championship a few weeks ago in Hickory. 

The women will be represented by individuals in the 100, 200, 400, and heptathlon, as well as the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams. Multiple time national champion and NCAA Division II 100m record holder Alexis Brown qualified in four events, the 100m, 200m, 4x100, and 4x400. She will be looking to repeat as the 100m champion and pull off the first 100/200 double of her career. Also qualifying as an individual and on the relays is Damyja Ortiz. The junior from Winston-Salem qualified individually in the 200m and 400m, as well as the 4x100 and 4x400. Her time of 23.67 ranks her 21st in the 200m and her SAC Championship winning time of 53.31 in the 400m is good for the 11 seed. The final individual competing is Miranda Marr in the Heptathlon. Marr has improved each year as a Bear, and set a huge PR of 5067 points to place second at the SAC Championships. She set new personal bests in the 100 hurdles, high jump, 200m, long jump, and 800. She is the 14 seed at the national championships.

There is no doubt that the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams are in the national championship conversation. The 4x100m relay team consisting of Zanetta Udo-Obong, Damyja Ortiz, Molly McGrath, and Alexis Brown ran the 6th fastest time in the country with a SAC Championship winning time of 44.73. The Bears are looking to be the first team to win back-to-back 4x100m titles since Lincoln (Mo.) did it in 2018 and 2019. The 4x400m team of Damyja Ortiz, Jani Day, Alexis Brown, and Sharonda Priester ran a time of 3:37.47 at last week's LR Last Chance meet to book their ticket with the fifth fastest time in Division II this season. This time puts them less than a second off Fresno Pacific's national leading time of 3:36.82. 

The national championships will take place in Pueblo, Colorado, on Thursday - Saturday, May 22-24. Live results for the meet will be able to be found HERE.