Birmingham, Ala.----Wingate University freshman Jakob Rettschlag posted an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standard in the men's 800 meters, highlighting an outstanding day for the Bulldog indoor track and field teams in the KMS Open at the Birmingham CrossPlex Sunday (complete results). Thirty-four Bulldog student-athletes competed in the one-day event.
 
Rettschlag's time of 1:52.49 is a collegiate indoor personal best and a new Wingate school record. Rettschlag hopes to make one more trip to the Birmingham CrossPlex, as the facility will serve as the venue for the 2021 NCAA Division II national indoor track and field championships March 11-13.
 
Graduate student Tai Smith may adopt the CrossPlex as his favorite facility, as he set his second WU school record in as many weeks. Smith competed in the 3000 meters, posting a time of 8:26.34. Last Sunday in Birmingham, Smith claimed an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 14:24.81 in the 5000 meters.
 
What They Are Saying
 
Wingate senior distance specialist Lauryn Tumey: "Today was a great opener for the majority of the Bulldog distance runners. Since we have been training since late August, it feels really good to finally be on the track. Today we had several personal records, but we keep looking forward to improving more and more every week."

Wingate sophomore distance specialist Saul Valdez: "Everyone had an amazing day. The entire WU track and field team did amazing work. Today's performance shows how much work we have put in over the last few weeks…and shows where we are now and how much more we can accomplish. This is only my first meet of the indoor season. I am excited to see how far we can go and where our training will take us in the future."
 
KMS Open Notes
 
WU Men's Track and Field
 
- Four Bulldogs earned spots in the WU top 10 in the 5000 meters
 
- Bastian Mrochen led the way with his time of 14:38.56, number two on the all-time charts
 
- Saul Valdez was next at 14:38.78 for his 5000 meters, number three on the WU career list
 
- Jacob Willis posted a time of 14:41.85 in the same 5000 meters event for the number four WU lifetime spot
 
- Soheil Bofrizi cracked the WU top 10 (number 10) with his collegiate indoor personal-best time of 15:14.18 in the 5000 meters
 
- Elliot Richards ran an 8:29.99 in the 3000 meters, jumping to number three on the WU all-time list
 
- Jacob Pickering posted a time of 1:57.83 in the 800 meters, good enough for number four all-time for the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold
 
- Jan Bayona recorded a 4:19.04 in the mile, leaping to number two on Wingate's all-time list
 
WU Women's Track and Field
 
- Mollie Scott ran a 10:20.24 in the 3000 meters, vaulting to number two on Wingate's career list
 
- Franziska Althaus is Wingate's 3000 meters' record-holder with her time of 10:00.77 (Liberty Kickoff 2020)
 
- Lauryn Tumey ran a personal-best 5000 meters with her time of 18:34.10, taking the number six spot on the Bulldog career list
 
- Lara Orrock ran a 5:18.55 in the mile, charting number seven on the WU all-time list
 
- Meg Rapley recorded a collegiate indoor personal best and school record time of 2:16.69 in the 800 meters
 
- Anna Torras posted a 2:27.40 time in the 800 meters, climbing to number nine on the WU all-time charts
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 36 undergraduate majors as well as six master's and four doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; and the College of Professional Studies, which includes the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Wingate is the leading healthcare education provider in western North Carolina, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Athletes on Wingate's 23 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 13 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.