BROOKINGS, S.D. - Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) teams were very successful at the 2023 NAIA Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship Meet as they brought home three individual national titles and two top-10 team finishes.
The three individual titles are the most the AAC has produced in a single women's indoor championship. Previously, the most had been two individual titles, which occurred twice in 2019 and 2020.
In the team competition, Milligan led the league with a fifth-place showing with 29 total points. Columbia finished seventh with 27 points as all of the Koalas' points came from their success in the 3000-meter race walk. Tennessee Wesleyan finished tied for 15th with 15 points, while Montreat scored one point to finish tied for 53rd.
Winning the individual national championships were:
- 3000-meter race walk: Izabelle Trefts, Columbia (14:31.74);
- Triple jump: Paige Manney, Tennessee Wesleyan (12.55 meters);
- 5000-meter run: Alyssa Bearzi, Milligan (17:11.36).
The individual titles for Trefts and Manney were the first in their schools' history in women's indoor track & field. In addition, Manney is the first woman in AAC history to win a indoor national championship in a field event.
Manney accounted for all 15 of Tennessee Wesleyan's points as she won the triple jump, placed sixth in the high jump, and was seventh in the long jump to make her a three-time NAIA All-American.
Also earning NAIA All-American honors are:
- Trefts - 3000-meter race walk (first)
- Victoria Heiser-Whatley, Columbia - 3000-meter race walk (second)
- Ainhoa Colina, Columbia - 3000-meter race walk (fourth)
- Jessica Heiser-Whatley, Columbia - 3000-meter race walk (fifth)
- Ellen Mary Kearney, Milligan - Mile run (fourth); DMR (second)
- Caitlin Dominy, Milligan - 3000-meter run (third); DMR (second)
- Bearzi - 5000-meter run (first)
- Megan Christian, Milligan - DMR (second)
- Rebecca Glover, Milligan - DMR (second)
- Dylan Garcia, Montreat - 1000-meter run (eighth)
For complete results, click here.