YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Northern Kentucky University Norse track & field looked to make history on Saturday, starting competition in the Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Championships, held at Youngstown State. The Norse put together a great day one, as Natnael Weldemichael claimed the first Horizon League title of the meet for the Norse, while Olivia Wingo nabbed a third-place finish. Additionally, the Norse saw seven runners advance to finals, marking nine total appearances in Sunday's finals. After a solid day, the men now sit in third place in the standings at 20 points thanks to Weldemichael, Colton O'Hara, and NKU's distance medley relay squad. 

NOTABLES (MEN)
- Natnael Weldemichael earned the Norse's first title of the Championship, finishing in first place in the 5000m run, in 14:14.54. He earned ten points for the Norse for his performance as he finished four seconds ahead of second and ten seconds ahead of third place.
- Colton O'Hara finished fourth in the 5000m race, behind Weldemichael and a pair of Penguin runners. O'Hara's time of 14:26.21 earned Northern Kentucky five points. 
- Northern Kentucky's distance medley relay squad of Nathan Ruth, Aaron Silva, Jacob Messer, and Jacob Line notched a fourth-place finish in 10:06.32 in the 4000m run, earning five points for NKU.
- Osayi Ogbebor finished in fifth in the 60m hurdles prelims, running an 8.27, breaking his own school and freshman records. He was one of just two freshmen to qualify for the league final. 
- Bash Hedger ran a 7.01 in the prelims of the 60m dash, placing him sixth among all competitors and earning him a spot in Sunday's final. Like Ogbebor, he will also be one of two freshman runners in his field in the final.
- Josh Brockman stands in seventh place after day one in the Heptathlon, with his best finish on the day being a third-place finish in the 60m run. 
- Nolan Herzog sits in eighth place after the first day of the Heptathlon, with his best finish also coming in the 60m run, finishing in fourth. 

NOTABLES (WOMEN)
- Olivia Wingo earned the bronze in the pole vault, finishing third among all competitors. After clearing 3.62m and 3.77m on her first attempts, she cleared 3.92m on her second attempt to solidify her spot on the podium, earning six points for the Norse women. 
- Maggie Foust finished in fifth in the 5000m race, clocking a 17:22.20. Not only was she the fastest freshman in the race, but she was the only freshman to crack the top ten in the run. 
- Kierra Morris notched a fifth-place finish in the long jump, with a best leap of 5.57 meters and earning four points for the Norse. 
- NKU's women's distance medley relay squad of Grace Biddle, Sierra Kendall, Erica Durst, and Macie Radcliffe finished in 12:12.39, a sixth-place finish, and earned three points for NKU.
- Cameron Bitterman dominated her prelims, recording the fastest qualifying time in the 200m run at 24.33 and third in the 400m at 55.72. 
- Meredith Goff will compete in a pair of Sunday finals as well, running a 7.65 in the 60m and a 24.93 in the 200m, squeaking in both finals and securing points for Northern Kentucky. 
- Olivia Kennedy finished second in the 800m prelims, finishing in 2:15.17 and securing her spot in Sunday's final, where she looks to defend her crown.
- Erica Durst ran a 2:18.16 in the 800m run, becoming the eighth qualifier and securing her spot in Sunday's race.
- Lacey Klare finished in sixth in the 60m hurdles at 8.87, notching a spot in the finals. 

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.