The NC State track and field team sent six competitors to the 2016 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships this past weekend in Birmingham, Alabama, with the men’s team finishing 14th and the women’s team finishing 17th.
All six student athletes achieved All-American status, including five first-team All-American performers.
According to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association, first team All-America members must finish top-eight in their respective events, while second-team members occupy spaces nine through 16.
On Friday, the Wolfpack showcased its distance, depth and field event strength.
On the oval, redshirt sophomore Erika Kemp and redshirt senior Luis Vargas competed in the women’s and men’s 5,000-meter run, respectively.
Kemp placed fifth with a time of 15:58.00. Her impressive showing helped her garner her first-ever indoor All-American achievement.
Meanwhile, Vargas’ swift time of 13:52.75 earned him fifth place in a tight race that saw the first five runners separated by fewer than five seconds.
The Elon transfer’s efforts were also enough to earn his first indoor first-team All-America honors.
In the field, senior Jonathan Addison, redshirt sophomore Josh Davis and redshirt senior Nicole Chavis competed in the men’s long jump, men’s weight throw and women’s weight throw, respectively.
In long jump, Addison leapt a distance of 26.25. The Raleigh native’s efforts earned him a national runner-up finish and secured eight points for the men’s side.
His performance is a 12-place improvement from his indoor nationals placing last year and also marks his second time earning first-team All-America honors.
In the men’s weight throw, redshirt sophomore Josh Davis earned his first-ever All-American honors. Davis heaved the weight a distance of 62-05. His distance was enough to clinch 16th place and second-team All-America honors
Davis was also the only underclassman competing in the men’s weight throw event.
In the women’s weight throw, school-record holder Chavis culminated her weight throw career with her best ever NCAA national meet placing. Her distance of 69-08.75 earned her fifth place and first-team All-America honors.
On the last day of competition, the distance squad wrapped up an impressive showing by the Wolfpack.
Redshirt junior Megan Moye earned her second All-American honors. Moye placed seventh in the one-mile in a quick time of 4:38.99.
The Pack continued this momentum throughout the remainder of the meet.
Kemp brought home her second All-American honor in the women’s 3,000-meter run. Her time of 9:19.88 earned her 11th place and second-team All-America honors.
Meanwhile, Vargas gathered his second first-team All-American performance of the meet in the men’s 3,000-meter run. Vargas crossed the finish line in seventh place with a time of 8:02.43.
This year’s placing exceeded the 17th and 20th USTFCCA ranking prior to the meet.
This weekend, the Pack ventures to Chapel Hill to compete in the Dennis Craddock Relays for its first outdoor meet of the season.
