DOWNS DEFENDS NATIONAL TITLE; PILOTS NET FOUR ALL-AMERICANS

BROOKINGS, S.D. – The Bethel College track & field team finished day two of the NAIA Indoor National Championship with a successful defense of an individual national title, four All-American finishes, and a program record. Jordan Downs earned his second straight NAIA Indoor Long Jump national title with a winning mark of 7.86m while Emma Jankowski earned a trip to the finals in the 800m prelims, breaking her own school record with a time of 2:15.54. Thomas Jackson, Matt McCown, and Danielle Wojciechowski also recorded All-American performances.

MEET VITALS

• NAIA Indoor National Championship: Hosted by Dakota State University
• Location: Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex | Brookings, S.D.
• NAIA National Track & Field Ratings Index: Men – No. 5 | Women – No. 15

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

• Jordan Downs | Men’s Long Jump | 7.86m

ALL-AMERICANS

• Danielle Wojciechowski | Women’s Pole Vault | 8^th, 3.62m
• Matt McCown | Men’s High Jump | 7^th, 2.05m
• Jordan Downs | Men’s Long Jump | 1^st, 7.86m
• Thomas Jackson | Men’s Long Jump | 4^th, 7.28m

OTHER COMPETITORS – WOMEN

• Weight Throw | Queen Walker | 21^st, 15.78m
• 800m Prelims | Emma Jankowski | 2^nd, 2:15.54*

*Program record

OTHER COMPETITORS – MEN

• Heptathlon | Ezra Griffith | 11^th, 4,722
• Weight Throw | Bailey Lang | 15^th, 16.86m
• High Jump | Jonah Lester | 16^th, 1.99m
• 60m Prelims | Corey Jones | 24^th, 7.04
• Long Jump | Jonah Lester | 11^th, 6.88m

THOUGHTS FROM COACH NATALI

• “I’m very proud of the way we competed today. To accomplish what we did today was just awesome. To get back-to-back national championships by Jordan in the long jump is a great feat. Also to have three other All-Americans today was big. Emma ran awesome to get to the finals and break her school record again. All our other kids compete hard as well. Looking forward to our four events tomorrow. As always, God gets the glory for it all.”

UP NEXT

• The Pilots will finish the NAIA Indoor National Championship tomorrow.