Talbi achieves trifecta by sweeping mile, 3,000 and 5,000, with Abebe and Harris providing valuable support to lift Stars to team championship; Indiana Tech women win seven events to defend crown, with Montana Tech’s Richtman capturing women’s mile and 3,000, as well as placing second in 5,000

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It was a final act fitting of the most dominant men’s distance runner in NAIA history, and Zouhair Talbi received just enough support from his Oklahoma City University teammates to help the Stars capture their first team title at Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D.

With Indiana Tech cruising to its second straight NAIA Indoor women’s team championship with 127 points, a total more than double the amount of runner-up William Carey, there was plenty of drama in the race for the men’s team title as the final events unfolded Saturday.

Talbi swept the individual crowns on the final day of competition in the mile, 3,000 and 5,000 meters to earn men’s MVP of the meet, with teammate Shimales Abebe placing second twice and taking third in another event, in addition to freshman JaQuavios Harris scoring in the mile and 1,000 meters.

But it still came down to Oklahoma City finishing fifth in the distance medley relay without Talbi or Abebe in the lineup, as Harris anchored the Stars to an effort of 10 minutes, 2.55 seconds to give Oklahoma City 62 points and enough of a cushion to hold off a late surge in the 4x400 relay by runner-up Indiana Tech, which scored 59 points to place second after edging Dordt to secure the men’s team title last year.

Talbi, a Moroccan standout who holds division all-time indoor marks in the 3,000 and 5,000 as well as being No. 3 in NAIA history in the mile, achieved the trifecta Saturday with performances of 4:07.27, 8:17.67 and 14:28.39 in his final competition for Oklahoma City.

Abebe was second in the mile at 4:08.39 and 3,000 by clocking 8;19.05, then took third in the 5,000 in 14:36.01, with Luke Pohl of Cornerstone placing second at 14:33.02.

The duo accumulated 52 points for the Stars, who still needed Harris to finish fourth in the 1,000 in 2:27.96 and eighth in the mile (4:12.48), in addition to teaming with Milan Todorovic, Fares Marrouf and Tate Smithhart to secure the fifth-place effort in the DMR to account for the remaining 10 points.

Indiana Tech relied on championships from Destiny Copeland in the women’s long jump and triple jump, producing winning marks of 19-6 (5.94m) and 40 feet (12.19m), as well as Lisa Voyles prevailing in the 1,000 in 2:48.46 and teaming with Krista Boese, Xuxa Peart and Lilly Griewe to capture the DMR title in 11:53.84.

Loanie Cellard also repeated in the 3,000-meter race walk Friday in 14:27.71 and Juanita Webster-Freeman cleared 5-8.50 (1.74m) on her third attempt to earn the high jump crown for Indiana Tech, which capped the meet by having Jo’Deci Irby, Soyinne Grenylon, Olaide Olapade and Destinee McGrady edge Life University by a 3:42.31 to 3:42.86 margin in the 4x400 relay.

Becca Richtman of Montana Tech placed sixth by herself in the women’s competition with 28 points, winning the mile and 3,000 titles, and narrowly missing a sweep with a runner-up finish in the 5,000 final.

Richtman held off Andrea Ertz of Mount Mercy by a 4:55.76 to 4:56.17 margin in the mile, followed by a 9:58.87 effort in the 3,000 to secure the title ahead of Breanna Alderton of Brescia (10:00.47).

Kelli Dorn of Vanguard prevented Richtman achieving her own triple crown by a 17:05.70 to 17:06.06 margin in the 5,000.

Joy Abu led women’s runner-up William Carey by winning the women’s 60-meter hurdles in 8.23 seconds, followed by teammate Salieci Myles in 8.35, along with securing the 400 title in 53.49.

Abu also took third in the 200 final in 23.74, with Raheema Westfall of Wayland Baptist winning by a 23.56 to 23.62 margin over Praise Idamadudu of Cumberland.

Iantha Wright of Life held off Westfall 7.34 to 7.36 in the 60-meter dash final, then finished fifth in the 200 in 23.99.

Maggie Whitney of Aquinas prevailed in the women’s 800 in 2:13.09, with Keiser’s Harriet Tuson securing the 600 crown in 1:32.66.

Dordt won the women’s 4x800 championship, held Friday, by clocking 9:08.57.

Erin Oleksak of Marian (Indiana) captured the first women’s title Thursday in the pentathlon with 3,735 points, just ahead of Hastings’ Lauren Tamayo at 3,706 points.

Josie Puelz of Concordia (Nebraska) cleared 13-5.50 (4.10m) on her first attempt to repeat as women’s pole vault champion, with College of Idaho’s Catylynn Duff grabbing the weight throw title with a mark of 58-4.50 (17.79m) and Doane’s Allison Skala earning the shot put crown with a 47-6.25 (14.48m) performance.

Luke Skinner of St. Mary (Kansas) won the men’s 1,000 title in 2:25.93, in addition to anchoring the Spires to another championship in the DMR in 9:56.90.

Life held off Indiana Tech in the men’s 4x400 final by a 3:08.77 to 3:09.86 margin, with Indiana Wesleyan edging Dordt in the men’s 4x800 championship 7:33.93 to 7:34.00.

After being denied a 60-meter dash title with a runner-up finish in 6.63 behind winner Zachaeus Beard of Langston (6.61), Zayquan Lincoln of Indiana Tech rebounded to capture the 200 crown in 20.80.

Brandon Schultz of Brewton-Parker prevailed in another close finish in the men’s 60-meter hurdles final with a 7.80 to 7.81 victory over Glenn Rodgers of Southeastern.

Ben Jefferies of Briar Cliff earned the 400 title in 46.37, Dylan Felger of Huntington won the 600 crown in 1:16.12 and Clayton VanDyke of Lewis-Clark secured the 800 championship in 1:50.89.

Dean Freitag of Rio Grande improved from third last year in the men’s 3,000 race walk to secure the victory Friday in 12:33.03.

Eastern Oregon’s TJ Davis won the heptathlon Friday with 5,439 points, followed by Lee Walburn of Carroll (Montana) at 5,384 points.

Midland’s Shandon Reitzell cleared 6-10.75 (2.10m) on his first attempt in the men’s high jump final to prevail against Tony Kinser of Southwestern (Kansas), who cleared the same height on his second try.

Dylan Kucera of Midland won the men’s shot put with a mark of 59-9 (18.21m) and took third in the weight throw at 66-0.25 (20.12m).

Doane’s Matthew Campbell captured the weight throw championship with a 68-7.25 (20.91m) effort.

Thomas Jackson of Bethel (Indiana) triumphed in the long jump with a leap of 25-4.75 (7.74m) and Zachary Johnson of Wayland Baptist was the triple jump winner with a 49-4.25 (15.04m) performance.

Bryce Carmack of Marian (Indiana) cleared 16-5 (5.00m) on his first attempt to secure the men’s pole vault title.