Buena Vista, VA - Two Knights have officially punched their ticket to the NCAA Division lll Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Heidi Barton (800m) and Marin Simons (High Jump) will compete for national titles at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, from Thursday, May 22nd to Saturday, May 24th.
Heidi Barton led a historic campaign in her senior season, establishing new program records in the 800m and 1,500m events. The Evanston, Wyoming native successfully defended her 1,500m USA South title while doubling back to claim the 800m crown at the end of April. In the month of May, Barton was on a quest to qualify for the NCAA championship meet for the first time in her career.
At the Widener Final Qualifier during the final week to post qualifying marks, Barton used a blistering final lap to break her own program record in the 800m for the fifth time this season, crossing the line in a time of 2:09.45. The time is nearly ten seconds faster than the next fastest woman in program history and placed her inside the top twenty in the country, securing her spot in the championship.
Freshman Marin Simons quickly put the country on notice in her maiden collegiate campaign after a stellar performance at the well-attended Colonial Relays in April. Despite being in qualifying position for most of the season, Simons improved on her program record jump, eventually clearing a height of 1.69m (5' 6.5") at the Liberty Twilight Qualifier to rank inside the top ten nationally. She also captured another individual title at the USA South Championship, her second of the year.
The duo are just the fourth and fifth athletes in program history to qualify for the NCAA Track and Field Championships. It also marks the seventh consecutive calendar year that Southern Virginia University has qualified an athlete for a cross country or track and field national championship meet, dating back to 2019.
Both athletes will open competition on Friday, May 23rd. The women's high jump final will begin at 11:30 AM, and the 800m prelims will be at 4:15 PM.
For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, including a meet schedule and livestream, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightxctf on Instagram.
