VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Fort Hays State track and field team opened competition at the 2023 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships Friday (March 10) with two strong performances. Nolan Churchman ranks fourth through the first four events of the heptathlon, while Hayden Albright advanced to the finals in the 400m dash.
 
Churchman racked up 3,110 points on day one, just 18 behind second place and 107 away from the leader. The three-time All-American added more than six inches to his personal best in the long jump, compiling 878 points with a top leap of 23-10.25, which ranks second-best at FHSU during the DII era. He completed the day with a clearance of 6-6.25 in the high jump, less than one inch shy of his PR, to add 794 points.
 
Competing in the second of five heats in the 400m prelims, Albright turned in a time of 47.77 to finish third in his heat. He ranked fourth with 10 runners yet to compete, but only two of those turned in times faster than Albright's, giving the junior the sixth-fastest time on the day and a spot in the finals. The Kingman, Kan. native turned in a split of 25.22 over the final 200 meters, the fastest second-half split in the entire field.
 
Churchman will wrap up competition in the heptathlon Saturday morning (March 11) beginning at 9:45 a.m. CT, with Albright running in the 400m finals at 4 p.m. The pair will later run in the 4x400m relay alongside Philip Landrum and Ethan Lang at 5:45 p.m. A full day two schedule for FHSU competitors can be found below.
 
Saturday, March 11 Schedule of Events - FHSU Competitors
Pentathlon - 10:30 a.m. (9:30 a.m. CT) - Mattie Rossi, Taylor Savolt
Heptathlon Day Two - 10:45 a.m. (9:45 a.m. CT) - Nolan Churchman
Pole Vault - 3:55 p.m. (2:55 p.m. CT) - Jacob Clark, Ryan Stanley
400m Finals - 5:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. CT) - Hayden Albright
4x400m Relay - 6:45 p.m. (5:45 p.m. CT) - Hayden Albright, Philip Landrum, Ethan Lang and Nolan Churchman (Section 3)
 
Full FHSU Results
400m Dash Prelims
6th - Hayden Albright - 47.77 Q
 
Heptathlon
4th - Nolan Churchman - 3,110
60m - 7.06 - 861
LJ - 23-10.25 - 878
SP - 37-9.25 - 577
HJ - 6-6.25 - 794
60mH -
PV -
1,000m -
 
! indicates school record
@ indicates first team All-America performance
& indicates second team All-America performance
Q indicates qualified for Saturday's finals