ALLENDALE, Mich. - Junior Judith Essemiah successfully defended her NCAA DII Outdoor Track and Field Championship title winning the women's hammer throw for a with a season-best distance of 63.31m (10 points). Essemiah won the outdoor event in 2021 with a distance of 62.62m. She is the only female-athlete in Division II to have thrown past 63 meters in 2022. Jessica Gockley scored four points in the women's 10,000m finishing fifth with a time of 33:52.34. 
The Laker women are tied for first with Wayne St. - Nebraska at 14 points. 

Isaac Harding and Tanner Chada made their way onto the podium together in the men's 10,000m. Harding finished fourth clocking in a time of 29:09.36, Chada placed eighth with a time of 29:36.31.  Hunter Harding placed sixth in the men's hammer throw with a distance of 61.64m. The Laker men are currently in sixth with nine points. 

Qualifying for the finals, the men's 4x100m relay team of Caelon Harkey, Brandon Miller, Myles Rhodes, Jalen Kyles qualified sixth with a time of 40.12. Allie Ludge and Klaudia O'Malley qualified fifth and ninth in the women's 1500m, respectively. Caleb Futter placed seventh in the 3000m Steeplechase with a time of 8:50.46 and will be competing in the finals on Friday. 

Hannah Becker led the Lakers in the women's 3000m Steeplechase qualifying third in the prelims with a time of 10:25.71, followed by Kayce Rypma in seventh (10:27.96).  

Day Two of the Outdoor Championships begins at 9:30 a.m. with the continuation of the men's decathlon. Field Events begin at 2:00 p.m., Running Events at 5:30 p.m. Live Results