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Women's Track & Field

Wilhelm, Gardner, and Weldemichael help lead Norse to big day one at League Championships

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - It was a successful day one for Northern Kentucky at the Horizon League Outdoor Track & Field Championships, as multiple program records were broken and the Norse put up some points to kick off the team's final meet of the year. 

Jill Wilhelm earned NKU's first conference championship of the meet, winning the Women's Javelin Throw with a program-record best of 43.03m. On the men's side, Kaden Gardner had a fantastic start to the meet, placing second halfway through the decathlon and setting a new program record in the men's Javelin and earning a second-place finish. Natnael Weldemichael showed out in the 10k run, setting a new progr

THE BASICS
MEET: 2025 Horizon League Outdoor Championships
LOCATION: Youngstown, Ohio - Covelli Sports Complex

NOTABLES (WOMEN)
- Jill Wilhelm took home the first event win for the Norse and put ten points on the board for the team with her incredible performance in the Javelin throw. Having previously set the NKU record in the event earlier in 2025, Wilhelm crushed her previous best of 39.28m with a best throw of 43.03m, over a 12-feet difference. 
- Brittany Arnold finished in ninth in the 10k race, running a 36:59.54. It marked a freshman record for Arnold, and the fourth-best mark on NKU's all-time list. 

NOTABLES (MEN)
- Kaden Gardner put together an incredible day one, as he sits in second place halfway through the decathlon. A best mark of 1.97m in the high jump saw him win the event, and Gardner also placed second in the long jump and third in the shot put as he sits 317 points above third place. Additionally, Gardner made Norse history in the Javelin throw, reaching a best mark of 54.69m and finishing second in the event. His best mark just edged out an eleven-year program record, defeating it by just over nine inches. 
- Natnael Weldemichael set a new program record in the 10K run, finishing in second place with a time of 29:30.55. His run surpassed a 45-year old record set in 1980 by John Lott. Colton O'Hara notched a fifth-place finish in the race, running a 30:08.55.
- Josh Brockman (fourth, 2843 pts) and Curtis Rust (sixth, 2647 pts) also put together solid days in the decathlon, with Brockman notching a third-place finish in the 400m run while Rust finished third in the high jump. 
- In the 1500m prelims, Nathan Ruth (3:52.45), Brady Messer (3:52.90), and Jacob Line (3:52.91) all qualified for Sunday's finals. Both Ruth and Messer's times marked season-bests. 
- NKU's 20 points on day one nearly surpass the team's 2024 total of 22.

NEXT UP
Decathlon & heptathlon action resumes at 9 AM Saturday, with field events starting at noon and track events at 4 PM. 
 
FOLLOW NKU NORSE TRACK & FIELD
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I track & field teams through @NKUNorseXCTF on Twitter, @nkunorsexctf on Instagram, Northern Kentucky University Cross Country/Track & Field on Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse Youtube channel.
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Players Mentioned

Brittany Arnold

Brittany Arnold

Freshman
Jacob Line

Jacob Line

Junior
Brady Messer

Brady Messer

Junior
Colton O

Colton O'Hara

Junior
Nathan Ruth

Nathan Ruth

Freshman
Natnael Weldemichael

Natnael Weldemichael

Junior
Josh Brockman

Josh Brockman

Freshman
Kaden Gardner

Kaden Gardner

Sophomore
Curtis Rust

Curtis Rust

Freshman
Jill Wilhelm

Jill Wilhelm

Junior

Players Mentioned

Brittany Arnold

Brittany Arnold

Freshman
Jacob Line

Jacob Line

Junior
Brady Messer

Brady Messer

Junior
Colton O

Colton O'Hara

Junior
Nathan Ruth

Nathan Ruth

Freshman
Natnael Weldemichael

Natnael Weldemichael

Junior
Josh Brockman

Josh Brockman

Freshman
Kaden Gardner

Kaden Gardner

Sophomore
Curtis Rust

Curtis Rust

Freshman
Jill Wilhelm

Jill Wilhelm

Junior