One Idahoan won a national title at NCAA track meet. Two more reached the medal stand
Idaho athletes made a name for themselves at the NCAA national track and field championships last week in Austin, Texas, bringing home one first-place finish and placing two more athletes on the medal stand.
Here is how the seven qualifiers with Idaho ties fared.
NATHAN GREEN
The Borah High grad added another national title to his mantle, finishing first in the men’s 1,500 meters in 3 minutes, 42.78 seconds. He passed the leader in the final 100 meters on the outside.
Green is also the defending USA Track & Field U-20 national champion in the 1,500. The Washington sophomore is the third different Husky to win the NCAA 1,500 national title in the past three championship meets, including the most recent indoor season.
Green edged out second-place finisher Joe Waskom of Washington, last year’s outdoor champ.
“The only thing going through my mind was we had the opportunity to go 1-2-3, and I wasn’t going to be the one to not let that happen,” Green told reporters after the race. “I didn’t know anything that was going on. Once (Wisconsin’s) Adam Spencer broke the pack, I was just following Joe. That’s all you really can do.”
JACOB ENGLAR
The Nampa Christian grad made the most of his final college meet. The No. 19 seed in the men’s pole vault surprised the field by taking third, clearing a personal record of 18 feet, 8.25 inches.
He finished 17th overall at last year’s national finals for Washington State before transferring to Washington this season.
“I got to give a shout-out to the big man upstairs. I wouldn’t be here without him,” Englar said in an interview with Washington’s athletic department. “I was supposed to be cut my freshman year of college. For some reason, I’m out here.”
LEXY HALLADAY-LOWRY
The Mountain View grad set a personal best in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, finishing fourth in the event at 9:41.85 for first-team All-America honors.
“I went in to just get the job done and get an All-American award, that’s all I wanted,” the sophomore told BYU’s athletic website. “Coach (Diljeet) Taylor gave me a plan, and I ran exactly that. I knew this was in me if I wanted it, I just had to race smart.”
PEYTON BAIR
The Mississippi State freshman and Kimberly High grad wrapped up his first appearance at the national championships with an 11th-place finish in the men’s decathlon for second-team All-America honors.
Bair racked up 7,688 points. He excelled in the running events, finishing fourth in the 400 meters, fifth in the 100 meters, and sixth in the 110 hurdles and high jump.
MALEIGHA MENEGATTI
The Boise State senior finished 11th in the women’s 800 meters at 2:02.76, earning her second-team All-America honors.
She was also a second-team All-American in the event during last winter’s indoor season.
KADE MCCALL
The Timberline grad followed his 13th-place finish in the men’s hammer throw last year with a 14th-place finish, earning himself second-team All-American honors for the second straight season.
The Kansas State junior’s best throw was 225 feet, 5 inches, less than a foot shy of his personal best and his own school record.
JAMES ONANUBOSI
The Bishop Kelly grad and Arizona freshman anchored the top seed in the men’s 4x100 relay entering the meet. But the Wildcats finished seventh in their heat and 18th overall in the semifinals, missing out on a chance to qualify for the finals.
This story was originally published June 12, 2023 at 12:51 PM.
