NCAA PREVIEW: Three Timberwolves Ready to Pursue All-America Honors At Indoor Championships
LIVE RESULTS | VIDEO DAY 1 | VIDEO DAY 2
MIDLAND, MICH. – Three Northwood track and field student-athletes are set to compete in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships Friday and Saturday (March 9-10) at the state-of-the-art Robert Plaster Center. Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas will serve as the host of this year's championships.
The Timberwolves will be represented by senior Rami Gharsalli in the men's 60 meter hurdles, sophomore Mason Phillips in the men's 60 and 200 meter dashes and senior Heaven Powell in the women's high jump.
Gharsalli will be making his third straight NCAA Indoor Championships appearance and his fifth consecutive appearance (indoor and outdoor). Phillips will be making his second indoor NCAA appearance and third overall. This will be Powell's first NCAA Championship meet.
The first scheduled event for Northwood is at 3:45 p.m. EST on Friday with Gharsalli in the 60 meter hurdle prelims. Phillips will round out competition for the Timberwolves on the first day with the 60 meter dash at 4:15 p.m. and the 200 meters at 6:35 p.m.
Saturday will see Powell compete in the women's high jump at 4:30 p.m. If Gharsalli and Phillips advance to the finals in their respective events, they will compete Saturday night.
EVENT BREAKDOWN
MEN'S 60 METER HURDLES: GHARSALLI (FRIDAY 3:45 PM EST)
Gharsalli comes into his final NCAA Indoor Championships as the fifth seed. His season best time of 7.91 seconds was at the GLIAC Championships en route to winning the title in the event.
He is rounding into form at the right time – posting a seasonal best in every meet since his season debut in January. He will look to get back on the podium after narrowly missing finals a year ago to earn Second Team All-America honors. He was the NCAA Runner-Up in the event in 2017.
Gharsalli will compete in the second heat of two in lane six. The winner of each heat plus the next six best times advance to finals.
Previous NU All-Americans in 60mh: Gharsalli (2nd – 2017, 9th – 2018), Marcus Bennett (4th – 2012)
MEN'S 60 METER DASH: PHILLIPS (FRIDAY 4:15 PM EST)
Although this will be his NCAA debut in the sprints, Phillips goes into his second indoor championship meet as a veteran. The All-American in the long jump will look to add to his resume in the short sprints.
He comes into the national meet with the third fastest time in DII. His season best time of 6.73 seconds came at the Hillsdale Wide Track Classic (February 1) to break the school record. At the GLIAC Championships, he clocked a winning time of 6.80 seconds.
Phillips will compete in heat two, lane six. Eight will advance to the final - the winner of each heat plus the next six best times.
Previous NU All-Americans in 60m: Will Fulton (8th – 2010)
MEN'S 200 METER DASH: PHILLIPS (FRIDAY 6:35 PM EST)
Phillips will return to the track later in the evening for his second sprint event of the day and look to become Northwood's first All-American in the event. He enters the meet as the fifth seed with a time of 21.22 seconds, a NU school record set at the SVSU Holiday Open that was just .01 seconds shy of the automatic qualifying mark. He also won the GLIAC title at 200 meters in 21.42 seconds.
Phillips will compete in heat three, lane five. The eight fastest times from the four preliminary heats will advance to the event finals Saturday.
Previous NU All-Americans in 200m: none
WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP: POWELL (SATURDAY 4:30 PM EST)
Powell will be making her NCAA Championships debut in the high jump. Her personal best clearance of 1.71 meters (5 feet-7.25 inches) was set at the Hillsdale Conference Crossover and broke the 25-year old school record set by Hall of Famer and All-American Julane Thayer.
Powell is the No. 13 seed and will compete in the sixth position. The top eight height clearances will earn All-American status. At last year's championships, it too 5 feet-7.25 inches to reach the podium, while it took 5 feet-7 inches in 2017 to place top eight.
Previous NU All-Americans in high jump: none
MEN'S 60 METER HURDLES: GHARSALLI (SATURDAY 6 PM)
Gharsalli will have the opportunity to compete for First-Team All-America honors in the event he makes the event finals. It took 7.98 seconds in 2018 and 8.05 seconds in 2017 to make the finals.
MEN'S 60 METER DASH: PHILLIPS (SATURDAY 6:30 PM EST)
Phillips will have the opportunity to compete for First-Team All-America honors upon advancing to the event finals. It took 6.75 seconds in 2018 and 6.79 seconds in 2017 to make the finals.
MEN'S 200 METER DASH: PHILLIPS (SATURDAY 7:55 PM EST)
Phillips will have the opportunity to compete for First-Team All-America honors upon advancing to the event finals. It took 21.41 seconds in 2018 and 21.53 seconds in 2017 to make the finals.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the track & field programs' history at Northwood University. Those who find corrections should contact Lauren Ellsworth at ellswort@northwood.edu or 989-837-4851.