Norwegian athlete produces first distance championship for University of Mary women’s program since 2013, with Mutai holding off Harding in thrilling men’s 10,000 showdown; Combs elevates to No. 3 performer in division history in men’s hammer throw, with Essemiah capturing women’s crown for host Lakers

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

ALLENDALE, Mich. – The cold, damp and windy conditions Thursday at the NCAA Division 2 Outdoor Championships weren’t ideal for several events, but it was the ideal climate for Ida Narbuvoll to finally claim her first career national title in the 10,000 meters at Grand Valley State’s Track and Field Stadium.

Narbuvoll, a Norwegian athlete competing for University of Mary, thrived in the inclement weather that resembled the training environment in North Dakota as well as her home country, pulling away from the pack in the final 4,000 meters with consistent 76- and 77-second laps, before celebrating her final circuit smiling every step of the way with a 75-second last 400 to triumph in 33:36.59.

INTERVIEWS

Following four career All-America honors in cross country and a 10th-place finish in the 10,000 at the 2019 nationals, Narbuvoll not only earned an individual title, but produced the first distance crown for the Marauders since Melissa Agnew captured the 1,500 crown in 2013.

Azusa Pacific graduate student-athlete Jennifer Sandoval, who entered the final as the Division 2 leader in 32:58.39, was unable to respond to the surges produced by Narbuvoll in the final 10 laps, and placed second in 34:05.83. It marked the first All-America honors for Sandoval, who previously qualified for the 2019 Division 1 cross country final competing for San Jose State.

Freshman Fatima Alanis of Queens College in North Carolina, achieved an outstanding 71.29-second final lap to take third in 34:10.69.

Along with Sandoval, Grand Valley State’s Jessica Gockley (34:11.53) and Adams State’s Brianna Robles (34:13.24) earned valuable points for their respective teams in championship contention.

Ezra Mutai of American International hadn’t competed in a Division 2 final of any kind since winning the 2019 cross country title.

But Mutai, who ran away with the 10-kilometer crown in Sacramento, Calif., demonstrated he could also excel in a sprint finish in the 10,000 final Thursday.

After Dylan Ko from Colorado School of Mines decided to produce a significant surge with two laps remaining, Mutai and Grand Valley State senior Isaac Harding remained within contact, before each athlete found another gear in the final 400 meters to battle stride for stride until the finish.

Mutai closed in 59.14 to prevail by a 29:09.48 to 29:09.70 margin over Harding, who covered the last lap in 59.21. Ko held on for third in 29:13.97.

Grand Valley State added fourth- and seventh-place finishes from Tanner Chada (29:16.71) and Enael Woldemichael (29:19.47), amassing 15 points total in the event.

The biggest news outside of the championship events Thursday centered around an athlete that didn’t compete on the track, as Ashland junior Trevor Bassitt was unable to race in the prelims of the 400-meter hurdles because of a foot injury, eliminating him from participation in the rest of the meet.

Bassitt won Division 2 Indoor titles in the 60-meter hurdles and 200 meters, along with helping Ashland secure the 4x400 championship, as the Eagles captured the team title.

Bassitt, who warmed up for the event but scratched less than 10 minutes before the race, elevated to the No. 4 competitor in Division 2 history by clocking 49.04 in the 400 hurdles May 7 at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.

Findlay senior Austin Combs, already a two-time Division 2 champion in the indoor weight throw, finally secured his first career hammer throw championship with a sixth-round performance of 236-2 (71.99m).

Combs, who elevated to the No. 3 competitor in Division 2 history in addition to eclipsing the championship meet record, added a 233-8 (71.23m) effort in the second round. He surpassed the 2012 mark of 232-1 (70.74m) by Ryan Loughney of Ashland.

Decio Andrade of Angelo State, the 2019 champion, placed second Thursday with a throw of 231-8 (70.61m) and Sterling Mungro of Findlay supported Combs by finishing third at 228-2 (69.54m) to give the Oilers 16 points.

Grand Valley State was treated to Dutch athlete Judith Essemiah capturing the women’s hammer throw championship in her home ring, producing a third-round throw of 205-5 (62.62m).

Essemiah became the first Lakers’ female athlete to win the hammer throw since Liz Murphy secured back-to-back titles in 2011-12, providing 10 significant points for Grand Valley State in their pursuit of an outdoor team championship after securing the indoor crown in March.

Academy of Art standout Marie-Jeanne Ourega triumphed in an exciting and heavily wind-aided women’s long jump competition, producing a third-round effort of 21 feet (6.40m) to move up one spot after placing second at the indoor final.

Ourega, a French athlete who earned the first long jump championship for Academy of Art since Vashti Thomas in 2013, responded to a 20-7.75 (6.29m) performance in the second round by Hannah Meek of University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Saginaw Valley State sophomore Cheyenne Williamson, the indoor long jump champion, took third with a leap of 20-5.75 (6.24m). Williamson also achieved the opening-day lead in the heptathlon with 3,500 points, exactly 100 points better than her first-day performance April 9 at the Tobacco Road Challenge at Duke, in addition to helping the Cardinals’ 4x100-meter relay qualify for the final.

Saginaw Valley is in position to sweep both multi-event championships, with Sam Black leading following the first day of the decathlon with 4,132 points.

North Georgia sophomore Journey Gurley became the first national champion in program history, producing a first-attempt clearance in the pole vault at 13-11.25 (4.25m).

Gurley, who trailed indoor champion Elliane Kimes of Grand Valley State and Italian competitor Virgi Scardanzan of Washburn following her third-attempt make at 13-7.25 (4.15m), quickly shifted the momentum and put the pressure on her competitors with the successful clearance on her first try at 13-11.25.

Kimes and Scardanzan both cleared 13-7.25 on their first opportunities to finish tied for second, the former earning seven points for the host Lakers. Scardanzan entered the final with the top clearance during the season at 14-3.25 (4.35m).

Tiffin senior Cameron Burrows, competing in the long jump for the first time at an outdoor final after only previously participating in the event at the 2018 indoor championship, produced four personal-best efforts highlighted by a 25-4.75 (7.74m) performance to secure the title.

Burrows had achieved five career top-five finishes at national finals in the high jump and indoor heptathlon, before capturing the first men’s outdoor long jump title in program history. Marquise Corbett won the indoor long jump crown for the Dragons in 2017.

Kizan David, the reigning indoor long jump champion for Lincoln (Missouri), produced a sixth-round leap of 25-1.75 (7.66m) to elevate to second overall.