Marion, IN – To highlight one of the events over the others that competed at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships would be impossible. The Raiders brough three long jumpers, one javelin thrower, one triple jumper, and a 4x100m relay to the chapmpionship and nearly all would walk away with All-American Status. The truly historic performaces from the men would see school records fall once again, and national rankings upheld. The Northwestern Raiders finished in 12^th in the team rankings and were tied for third place against the other GPAC schools.
 
Day 1:
The championship for the Raiders started faster than it ever has before. The Men's 4x100m relay, consisting of Vance Hayenga-Johnson, Grant Palmer, Braden Jahn, and Ashton Sadbulte came into the meet ranked ninth . As the gun went off, the men ran an astonishing 40.27 seconds, to come through the line in fourth place overall, qualifying them for the finals. This time beat the previous school record the quad set at the GPAC Championships at 40.58, and was the second time in school history the men's 4x100m relay made the NAIA Outdoor Championship Final, the first by the All-American team in 2014. The time the men ran of 40.27 would have placed the team 19^th in the entire Division II, third in the Summit League, seventh in the ACC Division I conference, second in the Big East Division I Conference, eighth in the Big Ten, seventh in the Big 12, and even eighth in the Pac 12. Just after the 4x100m relay was held, Ben Thelander took to the javelin runway in his second back to back NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Apperance. He threw 54.87 meters to place 19^th for his highest finish and farthest throw at the NAIA Championships.
 
Day 2:
The second day of competition would see no less of stunning performances from the Raiders. Coming into the meet, Northwestern had the #1 ranked long jump team in the nation and held that ranking through the entirety of the competition. For another school history moment, the Raiders finished three men on the podium, garnering All-American Honors. Starting in the second flight, on his second jump of the competition, Justin Gleason added nealy eight inches to his PR, jumping 7.54m or 24' 9". He finished out the competition in third place. Simphiwe Mashaba, in the third flight of the competition, also hit a lifetime PR on his second jump as well at 7.47m or 24' 6.25". That jump was his farthest and finished the competition in sixth place. Coming down to his third and final jump of prelims, Braden Kalvelage jumped a new lifetime best, and school record of 7.65m. It placeed him in second place to move him onto the finals where he would maintain that placing. While the long jump was progressing, Jahn was back on the track to contest the open 400. He ran a lifetime best at 48.22. He came into the meet ranked 44^th and left the meet in 25^th for a massive increase.
 
Day 3:
Day three held nothing back from the excitement. While nervous as they could be, the men's 4x100m relay team of Hayenga-Johnson, Palmer, Jahn, and Sandbulte took to the nine-lane track, knowing that only eight teams achieve All-American status. As the gun went off and the men raced around the track, they ran 40.38 seconds across the finish line, in seventh place, receiving All-American Honors as only the second 4x100m relay team in school history to achieve this feat. While the 40.27 was a faster time than finals, and the official school record, in total, the men broke the school record three times this year, and re-write the records five times in the last two years. Just after the relay, Gleason was back to the runway for the triple jump. Jumping 14.10 on his first jump, "nearly a foot behind the board", he finished in 18^th place, the same that he entered the competition in for a phenominal end to a freshman season.
 
 
Raider Results: (Bold Indicates PR)
400m Dash - Prelims

• Braden Jahn 48.22 – 25^th  

4x100m Relay - Prelims

• Vance Hayenga-Johnson, Grant Palmer, Braden Jahn, Ashton Sandbulte 40.27           SCHOOL RECORD – 4^th

4x100m Relay – Finals

• Hayenga-Johnson, Palmer, Jahn, Sandbulte 40.38 – 7^th - ALL AMERICANS

Long Jump

• Braden Kalvelage 7.65m – 2^nd SCHOOL RECORD – ALL AMERICAN
• Justin Gleason 7.54 m – 3^rd – ALL AMERICAN
• Simphiwe Mashaba 7.47m – 6^th – ALL AMERICAN

Triple Jump

• Justin Gleason 14.10m – 18^th

Javelin

• Ben Thelander 54.87 – 19^th

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