ALLENDALE, Mich. - Student-athletes representing the Fort Hays State track and field team competed in five events on day one of the 2021 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships Thursday (May 27), with Two Tigers earning All-American honors and one event moving on to the finals.
Mattie Rossi began the day by competing in the first four events of the heptathlon. The sophomore sits in sixth after day one with a point total of 3,067. She opened the event with the second-fastest time in the 100m hurdles, crossing the line in 14.05. The Oak Creek, Colo. native then cleared a personal-best 5-5.25 in the high jump, the third-best mark in the field.
Next up was the shot put, where Rossi tossed the implement 28-9 on her first attempt. She rounded out the day with a time of 25.51 in the 200m dash, sixth-fastest in the field.
After about a six-hour break, Rossi competed once again in the preliminary round of the 400m hurdles, placing 14th with a time of 1:03.57.
The 4x100m relay team of Xavier Robinson, Philip Landrum, Hayden Albright and Malcom Gardner qualified for Saturday's finals after posting a time of 40.72 in the prelims, finishing third in their heat and sixth overall.
Laurel Haley earned second team All-American status with an 11th-place finish in the hammer throw. After a mark of 170-5 on her first attempt, she improved that mark by more than five feet on her second toss of the afternoon, recording a top heave of 175-6.
Lyric Holman also picked up second team All-American honors with a 10th-place finish in the prelims of the 100m dash, crossing the line in 11.81.
Rossi, Holman and Albright will all compete again on Friday in day two of the national meet. Rossi will wrap up the heptathlon with the final three events beginning at 8:30 a.m. CT, while Albright will run alongside Jack Pakkebier, Nolan Churchman and Ethan Lang in the prelims of the 4x400m relay at 3:05 p.m. Holman will then look to advance to the finals of the 200m dash when she runs in the prelims at 4:20 p.m.
Full FHSU Results
Women's 100m Dash Prelims
10th - Lyric Holman - 11.81 &
Women's 400m Hurdles Prelims
14th - Mattie Rossi - 1:03.57
Women's Hammer Throw Finals
11th - Laurel Haley - 175-6 &
Women's Heptathlon
6th - Mattie Rossi - 3,067
100mH - 14.05 - 971
HJ - 5-5.25 - 806
SP - 28-9 - 449
200m - 25.51 - 841
Men's 4x100m Relay Prelims
6th - Xavier Robinson, Philip Landrum, Hayden Albright, Malcom Gardner - 40.72 Q
Q indicates qualified for finals on Saturday
& indicates second team All-American
FHSU Sports Information