For our number nine entry on the list of the top 10 sports stories at Central College during the 2024-2025 school year, we look at the track and field team’s success at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship May 21st-23rd.

Central’s achievements at the meet began on May 22nd, when a four Dutch athletes secured a spot on the All-American podium. Competing in the decathlon for the Dutch men, Kale Hobart started the day off by winning the 110m hurdles (14.70 seconds), before recording the second-best discus throw in the field (127’ 7”) to earn All-American honors by finishing as the national runner-up with 6,916 points. Reid Pakkebier also earned second-team All-American honors with an 11th place finish in the decathlon, scoring 6,329 points. For the Central women, Peyton Steffen also claimed first-team All-American accolades on May 22nd, improving upon her career-best time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in finishing in fifth place (10:28.78). The honor made Steffen the fourth Dutch female to land on the All-American podium in the steeplechase in the last two seasons. Capping off a great Friday at the National Championships, Olivia Bohlen finished just off the podium in the women’s heptathlon by taking ninth place with 4,840 points, still clinching second team All-American honors.

Coming back on Saturday, May 23rd, two more Central track and field athletes wrapped up the national meet with All-American recognitions. A day earlier, Gunner Meyer qualified for the men’s 110-meter hurdles final in fifth place and was running well through eight of the 10 hurdles before taking a fall on the final hurdle. His time of 15.52 seconds was the slowest of nine runners in the final, but after protesting the results, it was revealed that the runner in the lane next to Meyer crossed the line and clipped his hurdle, pushing Meyer to an eighth-place finish and a spot on the podium.

Joining Meyer as an All-American, men’s triple jumper Kale Purcell earned second team honors after finishing in 11th with a mark of 48’ 1.25”. A loaded field saw seven jumpers clear 15 meters (approximately 49 feet) after only six did it all season.