BIRMINGHAM, ALA. -- For the second consecutive year, junior Jeffery Barnett (Fremont, Ohio/Fremont-Ross) finished as national runner-up in the long jump and senior Patrick Richardville (Leo, Ind./Leo) competed in the 60-meter dash at the 2018 NCAA Division III Indoor Championship Meet in Birmingham, Ala.
Barnett sat in third place after the preliminary jumps with a best mark of 23' 4.00" (7.11 meters) with the top nine distances out of 14 competitors advancing to the finals. By his second attempt in the finals round, Barnett had dropped to fifth place before he recorded a leap of 23' 11.50" (7.30 meters) to propel him into first place going into the final round of jumps.
His mark would be his best of the afternoon, but unfortunately would not end up as the best overall as his distance was bested by a competitor from St. John (N.Y.) Fisher University (24' 1.75") in the sixth and final round to finish as the runner-up in the event and also earned All-American honors in back-to-back indoor seasons.
Richardville entered the 60-meter dash after posting a school and conference record 6.91 second mark at the 2018 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Indoor Championship and finished as conference champion in the event. The 2018 MIAA "Most Valuable Runner" entered the national meet with the 13th fastest time in the nation (6.91) and completed the preliminary round at nationals with a mark of 6.95 seconds.
His prelim time would end up being the 11th fastest in a field of 15 competitors with the top nine times moving on to the finals tomorrow (Saturday, Mar. 10).
The Trine men's track & field team will now set its sights on the outdoor season which will begin with the Hanover Invitational on Saturday, Mar. 31 in Hanover, Ind. The meet is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.