INDIANAPOLIS -- Trine's Kara Eck and Jeffery Barnett will compete in the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Championships this weekend. The field was announced by the NCAA this morning.
Eck (Auburn, Ind. / DeKalb) earned her third consecutive bid to the national Indoor meet. The junior will compete in the weight throw. Barnett will make his first trip to the national meet. He will compete in the long jump. The NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Championships are being hosted by North Central College in Naperville, Ill. Events begin Friday, Mar. 10 at 11 a.m.
Eck is a two-time Indoor All-American who last earned All-American honors in the weight throw in 2015, when she placed sixth at the national meet. Eck enters this year's national meet seeded 13th. Her top performance this year came when she set a school record and MIAA Indoor record with a toss of 17.64 meters (57 feet, 10.5 inches). She earned All-MIAA and unanimous MIAA Field MVP honors.
The women's weight throw national championship will be held Friday, Mar. 10 at 11 a.m.
Barnett earned his first bid to nationals after ranking second in the nation in the long jump this year. The sophomore set a school record with a jump of 7.61 meters (24 feet, 11.75 inches), which ranks seventh in Division III Indoor history. Barnett earned unanimous MIAA Field MVP honors and earned All-MIAA recognition in two events for his performance in the conference's championship meet. He earned USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week honors earlier in the season for his record-setting jump.
The men's long jump national championship will be held Friday, Mar. 10 at 3 p.m.
The performance list of the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Championships can be found HERE. Information on the competition site at North Central College can be found HERE.
Trine's track and field teams have each produced one All-American each of the last three seasons. Eck earned All-America honors in the shot put last year. The top eight performers in each event earn All-America recognition.