WILMINGTON, Ohio - For the first time since 2006, the Wilmington College men's track & field team will be taking four individuals to the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York, on May 25-27.
The Schedule: The three-day event is slated to begin at 10 a.m. all three days. The Quakers have individuals competing on Thursday and Saturday. Unless severe weather alters the schedule, WC is not scheduled to have anyone in events on Friday.
The Coach: Ron Combs continues his 25th season as the head coach of Wilmington's men's and women's track and field teams. Combs has been named Coach of the Year, twice by the Heartland Athletic Conference, and once by the OAC. In 2002, he led the men's indoor team to a sixth-place finish at NCAA DIII Championships.
The Competitors: Simon Heys, JJ Durr, Nathan Borgan and Brady Vilvens have qualified for the championships in various events. See below:
- Simon Heys - the junior is seeded 15th (29:45.96) in the 10,000-meter run and 21st (14:11.05) in the 5,000-meter run. The multiple time All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) performer in both events will be looking for his first All-American honors in outdoor having garnered the aforementioned recognition in the 5,000-meter run at the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships. Heys will be competing in the 5,000-meter run for the first time and the 10,000-meter run for the third occasion in his career. The men's 10,000-meter run is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. on Thursday while the 5,000-meter run will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
- JJ Durr - the sophomore is seeded fifth (197' 11") in the hammer throw, which is slated for a 1 p.m. start on Saturday. The OAC Champion in the event, Durr is making his first appearance at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships and looking to build upon a 15th-place finish in the weight throw indoors earlier this year.
- Nathan Borgan - the sophomore is seeded 12th (193' 1") in the hammer thorw, which is slated for a 1 p.m. start on Saturday. The All-OAC performer in the event was just outside the national's field earlier this month, but took advance of a last chance meet as his runner-up finish at the Carius/Gregory Invitational qualified him for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
- Brady Vilvens - the sophomore two-sport student-athlete is seeded 19th (6' 8.25") in the high jump. The OAC runner-up in the event improved upon his mark at the Carius/Gregory Invitational to secure a spot in the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The high jump is scheduled for a 10 a.m. start on Saturday.
Coverage: Live results, live video and a schedule of events are available at the links above.
Tickets: Like Wilmington, St. John Fisher utilizies Hometown Ticketing for its events. Digital tickets should be purchased ahead of time at the link above.
Social Media: Wilmington athletics is represented on Facebook (Wilmington College Athletics), Twitter (@DubCQuakers) and Instagram (@DubCQuakers). Follow all the happenings of Wilmington College on social media by using the hashtag "#WeAreDubC".
