LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland men's and women's track and field has a total of 22 athletes set to compete in next week's National Championships across 10 women's events and eight men's events, announced today by the NAIA.
Cumberland men's track and field has eight entries, 11 athletes, in the National Championships along with three top-marks entering the championships.
Jason Bowers is set to compete in the 1500 meter where he will be the No. 1 seed with a best-time of 3.43.73. Goodness Iredia holds two top marks coming in as the No. 1 seed in the triple jump and the long jump. Iredia has a mark of 15.93m in the triple jump and 7.69m in the long jump.
Joel Forbes is the No. 9 seed in the 800 meters with a time of 1:50.40. Akpan Nsikak has qualified for the 100m dash at the 36-seed with a time of 10.57 seconds. Jaylen Poole will also compete in the triple jump for the third-straight year seeking his third-straight All-American honors in the event. Poole enters as the No. 9 seed with a mark of 15.02m.
Two men's relay teams have qualified for the National Championships as the 4x100m Relay team of Priest Kier, Derrick Redmond, Poole, and Nsikak enter as the 36-seed. The 4x800m relay team of Luke Freeman, Tahmar Upshaw, Forbes, and Bowers enter as the No. 5 seed in the event.
The 2023 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships are slated to begin on Wednesday, May 24, and run through Friday, May 26 on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana.
Cumberland women's track and field has 12 entries, 11 athletes, in the National Championships led by two top-marks and three additional Top 5 seeds.
Praise Idamadudu will run in four events while holding the No. 1 seed in the 200-meter and 400-meter. Praise comes in as a six-time All-American and won the National Championship in the 400m last season. She holds times of 23.58 seconds in the 200m and 53.65 seconds in the 400m. She will also be a part of the relay teams.
Alana Mack will also partake in four events for her second-straight Outdoor National Championship appearance. She enters the triple jump as the No. 4 seed with a mark of 12.13m and also as the 21-seed in the long jump at 5.76m. Mack will also compete on the relay teams.
Daveina Watson earned All-American honors last season at the Outdoor Championships in the shot put and seeks to add more to her name at this year's event. She enters as the No. 6 seed with a mark of 14.05m.
Sophiat Omizi will be the 18-seed in the hammer throw with a mark of 51.67m. This is Omizi's second Outdoor National Championships after competing in the 2021 event.
Mercy Kibiwott will be the No. 19 seed in the 10K with a time of 37:26.32.
Doris Mensah will be the 20-seed in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.27 seconds and she will also play a hand in the relays.
Blessing Samuel qualifed for two events in the long jump and the triple jump. Samuel is the 24-seed in the long jump with a mark of 5.73m and the 26-seed in the triple jump at 11.56m.
Two relay teams will be competing as the 4x100m team is the No. 5 seed in the event and the 4x400m relay team is the 10-seed. The 4x100m relay team of Mensah, Mack, Blessing Samuel, Idamadudu, and Judah Jackson hold a time of 46.07 seconds and the 4x400m team of Ifunanya Muoghalu, Mensah, Leesa Mutwanda, Mack, and Idamadudu have a time of 3:50.76 seconds.
