Indoor Track

Sixteen ODAC Stars Qualify for NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships

Sixteen ODAC Stars Qualify for NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
Posted: Mar 06, 2023

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- Sixteen of the ODAC's best track & field stars head to Birmingham, Alabama this weekend for two days of competition at the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships. Birmingham-Southern College and the City of Birmingham serve as hosts at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Mary 10-11.

The ODAC's contingent is three athletes heavier than in 2022 with nine men and seven women comprising this year's list of 16 qualifiers. University of Lynchburg's trio of Frank Csorba, Tor Hotung-Davidsen, and Aniya Seward will compete in a pair of events. They're joined by teammates Hailey Smith, Jacob Hodnett, and Sam Llaneza in forming the largest single-school representation in the conference.

Virginia Wesleyan University multiple All-American jumper Geni Roberts will also compete twice in Alabama. Donning Shenandoah University colors are throwers Tucker Kindig and Kiara Felston as well as speedster Miles Moore. Thrower Michael Smith and sprinter Adalia Coleman represented Bridgewater, while sprinter Katelyn Gamble and distance runner Carolyn Todd carry Washington and Lee University's flag to Birmingham.

Pentathlete Ray Ray Taylor will compete in the five-event discipline in Eastern Mennonite University apparel, and sprinter Brady Fowler sports the maroon from Roanoke College.

RELATED: Men's Accepted Entries | Women's Accepted Entries | LIVE Championship Results

For reach individual event, the top-20 ranked athletes were accepted into the competition. Each relay event will feature the top-12 rated entries. The overall performance lists can be found at TFRRS.org with the accepted entries lists posted above.

Below is a breakdown of each of the ODAC's qualfiers. For more information, visit the websites of any of the participating schools or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

  • ADALIA COLEMAN | BRIDGEWATER
    • Event(s) Qualified: Women's 60m Dash, 200m Dash
    • 60m Seed: 1st - 7.54
    • 200m Seed: 14th - 24.77
    • Notes: Coleman, the ODAC Track Athlete of the Meet at the championships, leapt into the #1 spot in the country in the 60m dash at the ODAC championships, but five competitors are 0.05 seconds or closer making for an outstanding race. In the 200m dash, Coleman has a little work to do as her entry time of 24.77 is 0.37 seconds off top competitor Kendaee Wayt from Mount Union.
    • 60m Top Seed: Adalia Coleman, Bridgewater - 7.54
    • 200m Top Seed: Kenadee Wayt, Mount Union - 24.40
  • MICHAEL SMITH | BRIDGEWATER
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's Weight Throw
    • Event Seed: 10th - 18.76m
    • Notes: Smith would be the ODAC overall and championship record-holder if not for the exploits for Shenandoah's Tucker Kindig this season. Still, Smith has been trending well throughout the season, so a finish higher than his seed is quite possible.
    • Event Top Seed: Joseph White, Carthage - 21.92m
  • RAY RAY TAYLOR | EASTERN MENNONITE
    • Event(s) Qualified: Women's Pentathlon
    • Event Seed: 10th - 3,335 points
    • Notes: Taylor does a lot of things well, which is why she is among the nation's best in the five-event pentathlon. Winner of the ODAC 400m dash, her strongest events in Alabama will likely be the high and long jumps, but she should also challenge in the 60m hurdles, 200m dash, and 800m run.
    • Event Top Seed: Logan Bruce, Ithaca - 3,722 points
  • FRANK CSORBA | LYNCHBURG
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's 3K, Distance Medley Relay
    • 3K Event Seed: 19th - 8:11.59
    • DMR Event Seed: 3rd - 9:41.93
    • Notes: Csorba is one of two Hornets on the DMR team set to compete in a separate individual event. Csorba won and set ODAC championship records in the 3K and 5K. He joins Tor Hotung-Davidsen, Jacob Hodnett, and Sam Llaneza on a DMR team that owns the ODAC record and should challenge for a national title.
    • 3K Top Seed: Alex Phillip, John Carroll University - 7:53.24
    • DMR Top Seed: Loras College - 9:39.80
  • TOR HOTUNG-DAVIDSEN | LYNCHBURG
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's 800m Run, Distance Medley Relay
    • 800m Event Seed: 2nd - 1:49.17
    • DMR Event Seed: 3rd - 9:41.93
    • Notes: Hotung-Davidsen is in the 800m field for a second straight year and will challenge for the title. He is one of two runners competing in an indivdual event and the DMR, which also targets a gold medal. He is joined by Frank Csorba, Sam Llaneza, and Jacob Hodnett in the DMR.
    • 800m Top Seed: Mike Jasa, Loras - 1:48.78
    • DMR Top Seed: Loras College - 9:39.80
  • JACOB HODNETT | LYNCHBURG
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's Distance Medley Relay
    • Event Seed: 3rd - 9:41.93
    • Notes: Hodnett is a new addition to the men's DMR team, but brings plenty of ability to a unit that should challenge for the title. They set the ODAC record at the Tufts last chance at 9:49.83.
    • DMR Top Seed: Loras College - 9:39.80
  • SAM LLANEZA | LYNCHBURG
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's Distance Medley Relay
    • Event Seed: 3rd - 9:41.93
    • Notes: Llaneza, a national qualifier previously and standout in cross country, was part of the DMR team that set the ODAC record earlier this year (9:53.93) and again at the Tufts last change (9:49.93).
    • DMR Top Seed: Loras College - 9:39.80
  • ANIYA SEWARD | LYNCHBURG
    • Event(s) Qualified: Women's 60m Hurdles, Triple Jump
    • 60m Hurdles Event Seed: 5th - 8.67
    • Triple Jump Event Seed: 9th - 11.95m
    • Notes: The ODAC Women's Field Athlete of the Meet won three events at the championships -- the 60m hurdles, long jump, and triple. She set ODAC overall and meet records in all three events. Seward has work in both events in which she qualified, but challenging for gold in both the hurdles and TJ are not out of the question.
    • 60m Hurdles Top Seed: Birgen Nelson, Gustavus Adolphus - 8.35
    • Triple Jump Top Seed: Victoria Kardiri, Johns Hopkins - 12.38m
  • HAILEY SMITH | LYNCHBURG
    • Event(s) Qualified: Women's 800m Run
    • Event Seed: 19th - 2:13.38
    • Notes: Smith added ODAC Rookie of the Meet indoors to the same award she won for cross country. She set the championships record in the 800m run and looks to challenge for All-America position in Alabama.
    • Event Top Seed: Emma Kelley, Washington University-St. Louis - 2:08.29
  • BRADY FOWLER | ROANOKE
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's 60m Dash
    • Event Seed: 20th - 6.84
    • Notes: Fowler won the ODAC 60m dash and set the Roanoke record in the process. While 20th in a field a 20, a chance is all he needs and could very well be in the running for an All-American award by race's end.
    • Event Top Seed: Sam Blaskowski, UW-La Crosse - 6.65
  • KIARA FELSTON | SHENANDOAH
    • Event(s) Qualified: Women's Weight Throw
    • Event Seed: 19th - 17.11m
    • Notes: Felston set the ODAC overall record during the regular schedule of meets at 17.09 meters and then eclipsed that and the championships record at the ODAC meet to her a spot in the national field.
    • Event Top Seed: Skye Digman, UW-La Crosse - 19.44m
  • TUCKER KINDIG | SHENANDOAH
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's Weight Throw
    • Event Seed: 5th - 19.27m
    • Notes: Much like his Shenandoah teammate Kiara Felston, Kindig set the ODAC record early during the regular campaign. He has drawn closer and closer to challenging that mark (19.27m) over the last several weeks, including his winning performance at the ODAC championships (18.91m).
    • Event Top Seed: Joseph White, Carthage - 21.92m
  • MILES MOORE | SHENANDOAH
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's 200m Dash
    • Event Seed: 19th - 21.62
    • Notes: Moore set the ODAC overall record at 21.79 during the regular season and then claimed the ODAC championships mark at 22.02. He used a strong showing at the South Region Qualifier at 22.00, which converts to 21.62, to punch his ticket to the national championships.
    • Event Top Seed: Sam Blaskowski, UW-La Crosse - 20.92
  • GENI ROBERTS | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN
    • Event(s) Qualified: Men's Long Jump, Triple Jump
    • Long Jump Seed: 12th - 7.26m
    • Triple Jump Seed: 3rd - 15.05m
    • Notes: The ODAC Field Athlete of the Meet for a second straight season, Roberts won both events at the conference championships. He has won nine combined ODAC long and triple jump gold medals between indoor and outdoor competition. He set the conference indoor mark in the triple jump, affording his best chance at a gold medal this weekend.
    • Long Jump Top Seed: Derik Bunten, Loras - 7.58m
    • Triple Jump Seed: Shevaughn Allen, Buffalo State - 15.48m
  • KATELYN GAMBLE | WASHINGTON AND LEE
    • Event(s) Qualified: Women's 60m Dash
    • Event Seed: 7th - 7.61
    • Notes: Gamble has battled Bridgewater's Adalia Coleman the past several years in both the 60m and 200m dashes, providing ODAC fans with some outstanding races. The same may be in store at the national level with both in line to challenge for gold medals and All-American laurels.
    • DMR Top Seed: Adalia Coleman, Bridgewater - 7.54
  • CAROLYN TODD | WASHINGTON AND LEE
    • Event(s) Qualified: Women's 5K Run
    • Event Seed: 17th - 17:10.83
    • Notes: Todd stepped up and won both the 3K (10:13.21) and 5K (17:38.81) titles at the ODAC championships. She improved upon that already impressive 5K time at the ODAC meet with a mark 20 seconds better (17:18.72) at the Tufts qualifying meeting, inking her place in the national field.
    • DMR Top Seed: Fiona Smith, St. Benedict - 16:28.97