Peter Shippy won the national title in the 3000m steeplchase and the Dordt University men's track and field team took home All-American honors in six events on the final day of the NAIA Outdoor Championships in Marion, Ind. The three-day championship was hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University.
Competing in the first race on championship Friday, Shippy and teammate
Thaniel Schroeder finished first and seventh, respectively, earning All-American honors and adding 12 points to the Defenders total. In 10th place with four laps to go, Shippy began to make his gradual move to the front of the pack on lap five. The junior moved into eighth place upon completion of the fifth lap and up one more spot heading into the bell lap. Shippy, along with Kaleb Dockweiler (Doane) and Robin Aguilar-Gonzalez (Marian), all took turns with the lead in the epic final lap that ended with Shippy perfectly clearing the final steeple in stride to propel him to the championship with a career-best time of 9:04.68, just .31 seconds in front of Dockweiler. Schroeder was among the top five for most of the race and finished seventh overall.
- Men's National Champions:
- Jerrold Wynia - (2)
- Matthew Van Eps - 800m (3x)
- 2020 Indoor, 2021 Indoor, 2019 Outdoor
- Peter Shippy - 3000m Steeplechase
- 4x800 Relay - 2x
- 2019 Outdoor, 2021 Outdoor
"Peter ran an incredible race today," commented Assistant Track and Field Coach / Head Cross Country Coach Nate Wolf. "He was able to stay out of trouble early and narrowly missed a runner that went down in the water on lap five. Peter closed his last 400m in a gutsy 63 seconds..he was technically sound over the barriers and through the water jump. This benefited him as he closed the last 150m and overcoming a 10m gap to win the national championship. Today's race was culmination of an outstanding year for Peter that saw him earn All-American honors in cross country and national runner-up finish in the 5000m during the indoor season."
Peyton Miller was the next Defender to claim All-American honors with his finish in the 400m hurdles. Miller, who was seeded eighth heading into today's final, ran his second fastest time of the season (52.93) and placed sixth to score three points for the team.
Payton Mauldin took home All-American honors in the 800m for the second consecutive outdoor season. Mauldin finished sixth overall, two spots higher than last year, and posted a time of 1:51.22, within a half second of the third place runner.
Joe Anderson, an All-American during both the cross country and indoor track seasons this year, earned his third national honor with his finish in today's 5000m. Running in the lead pack for the entirety of the race, Anderson was the fifth runner to cross the finish line and did so with a time of 14:40, 15 seconds faster than his time in Thursday's prelim. Anderson's time was his second fastest this season.
In the final race of the championship, the Defenders 4x400 relay ran its best time of the season and finished third among the nine teams competing. Miller, Mauldin,
Levi Schelhaas and
Cole Zevenbergen combined for a time of 3:11.26, just off a school record. This same group earned All-American honors in the 4x400 during the indoor season.
"The men's 4x400 stepped up and logged the second fastest time in program history," commented Head Coach Craig Heynen. "Levi ran his best leadoff leg of the season and set the group up for a run at the front. All of these men had a number of races over the last three days and they competed fiercely."
Trey Engen finished 11th in the 1500m final with a time of 3;57.28.
Dordt placed fifth in the final team standings with 32.25 points, less than a point in back of fourth place Indiana Tech, and completes a year where the Defenders won the national title in cross country and placed third at indoor nationals.
Defender Results:
- Peter Shippy - 3000m Steeplechase Final
- National Champion
- career-best time 9:04.68
- second fastest time (.07 off school record) in program history
- finished less than a half second in front of Kalen Dockweiler (Doane) and one second ahead of Robin Aguilar Gonzalez (Marian)
- Thaniel Schroeder - 3000m Steeplechase Final
- All-American
- 7th place
- 9:17.34
- Trey Engen - 1500m Final
- Peyton Miller - 400m Hurdles Final
- All-American
- 6th place
- 52.93, just off his school record set earlier this season\
- ran .10 faster than Wednesday's prelim time
- Payton Mauldin - 800m Final
- All-American
- 6th place
- 1:51.22, nearly a half second faster than prelim time
- Joe Anderson - 5000m Final
- All-American
- 5th place
- 14:40.24, second fastest time of season
- 15 seconds faster than prelim time
- 4x400 Relay Final
