NCAA | Men's qualifiers by team
NCAA | Women's qualifiers by team
 
Indianapolis, Ind.----The Wingate University indoor track and field team will send 14 student-athletes to the NCAA Division II indoor national championship meet March 13-14 inside the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. This marks the second time the indoor championships are being held in Virginia Beach, counting the 2023 event.
 
On the men's side, 10 Bulldogs will compete. Deon Sumpter is making his fourth appearance at the NCAA Division II indoor track championship event. Sumpter is competing in the Distance Medley Relay (DMR) for the fourth year in a row. As a freshman, Sumpter helped Wingate win the '23 NCAA national championship in the DMR.
 
Two Wingate men will compete in three events each. Senior Luca Poppe will compete in the 3000 and the 5000 meters in addition to running the anchor leg on the DMR. Junior David Holman will participate in the mile run and the 3000 meters in addition to running the first leg on the DMR.
 
Three Wingate women will compete in two events each. Freshman Abigail Bester will run the 3000 and the 5000 meters. Junior Evie Brooks will run the mile and the 3000 meters, while classmate Ally Holmberg will compete in the long jump and the pentathlon. Senior Amber Lawless rounds out the Wingate women's contingent. She will compete in the shot put.
 
The Bulldog indoor track and field teams swept the South Atlantic Conference championship meets for the fourth year in a row Sunday, winning the men's and women's titles at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate director of cross country and track and field Matt van Lierop
 
"Every year, the track and field Bulldogs get better and better. They've got the SAC and Southeast Region figured out…at the top of both for the last four years. During this time, both genders have steadily progressed their way up the ranks, closing in on the top of the nation and in 2026, we hope to see more of the same. Both teams are predicted to finish higher than ever in WU history."
 
"On the men's side, the distance runners are set to attack all five events...800, Mile, 3000 meters, 5000 meters and the DMR. This season has been filled with PRs, school records and even a NCAA Division II record (men's DMR)."
 
"On the women's side, we have all the event groups represented. Joining distance specialists Abigail Bester and Evie Brooks are Amber Lawless (shot put) and Ally Holmberg (long jump and pentathlon). The women are mixing it up with a little bit of everything…and hope to match the men on their climb towards the podium. With the championships so close in Virginia, we look forward to seeing teammates on the sidelines, cheering on their friends…"
 
Men's 800 meters
One WU qualifier
 
- Klaus Scholz is the number three seed, thanks to his time of 1:47.61
- Josue Le Cadre from Indianapolis is the top seed (1:46.97)
 
Men's Mile Run
Three WU qualifiers
 
- David Holman is the top WU qualifier, as he is seeded second (3:57.99)
- Mohamed Dahmouch is next, as he is seeded fourth (3:58.96)
- Matthew Brunnock rounds out the Wingate trio in the mile run (4:00.76)
- Housem Hrabi from Adams State is the top seed (3:57.42)
 
Men's 3000 meters
Six WU qualifiers
 
- Lars Laros is the top WU qualifier, as he is seeded second (7:50.24)
- Joaquin Campos is next, as he is seeded fourth (7:50.44)
- Antonin Saint Peyre is the number eight seed (7:51.68)
- Dahmouch, Holman and Luca Poppe will also compete
- Adams State's Kidus Begashaw is the top seed (7:50.08)
 
Men's 5000 meters
Four WU qualifiers
 
- Wingate runners hold down the No. 2 through No. 4 seeds
- Poppe leads the way, as he is seeded second (13:34.60)
- Laros (13:37.53) and Saint Peyre (13:39.42) are third and fourth, respectively
- Samuel Gilson will also compete in the 5000 meters
- Adams State's Begashaw is the top seed (13:27.42)
 
Men's Distance Medley Relay (DMR)
 
- The WU quartet includes David Holman, Deon Sumpter, Klaus Scholz and Luca Poppe
- Wingate is the number one seed, thanks to its 9:29.69 qualifying mark
- Sumpter helped Wingate win the DMR national championship in 2023
- CSU Pueblo is the number two qualifier, thanks to its time of 9:33.55
 
Women's Mile Run
One WU qualifier
 
- Evie Brooks is seeded sixth with her qualifying time of 4:45.20
- Helen Braybrook from CSU Pueblo is the top seed (4:30.03)
 
Women's 3000 meters
Two WU qualifiers
 
- Abigail Bester is the number six seed, thanks to her qualifying time of 9:23.40
- Brooks is the number 12 seed with her qualifying time of 9:28.02
- Ava O'Connor from Adams State is the top seed (9:03.03)
 
Women's 5000 meters
One WU qualifier
 
- Bester is the number six seed, thanks to her qualifying time of 16:18.11
- Tristian Spence from Adams State is the top seed (15:50.31)
 
Women's long jump
One WU qualifier
 
- Ally Holmberg is seeded 14th with her qualifying mark of 6.04 meters
- Miranda Lauvstad from Minnesota State is the top seed (6.35 meters)
 
Women's shot put
One WU qualifier
 
- Amber Lawless is seeded 13th with her qualifying mark of 15.01 meters
- Erika Beistle from Grand Valley State is the top seed (18.26 meters)
 
Women's pentathlon
One WU qualifier
 
- Holmberg is seeded 11th with her qualifying total of 3724 points
- Esther Conde-Turpin from West Texas A&M is the top seed (4341 points)
 
NCAA fun facts, live results and video
 
- Fourteen student-athletes equal the most WU has sent to an NCAA indoor track meet
- Wingate sent 14 student-athletes to the '25 indoor NCAAs in Indianapolis
- Fourteen WU student-athletes traveled to the '24 outdoor NCAAs in Emporia, Kansas
- NCAA partner Leone Timing will provide live results at this link
- Bulldog fans can watch live NCAA indoor track and field video at this link
 
Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five 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, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 17 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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