Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, tkgallisath@noctrl.edu

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (May 19, 2023) - In its final meet before the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, the North Central College men's track and field team added two more names to its potential travel squad as Braden Nicholson and Connor Riss enter the national rankings in the 1,500-meter-run at the Augustana Midwest Twilight on Thursday.

Nicholson and Riss turned in third and fourth place finishes in the 1,500-meter after crossing the finish line together in three minutes, 46.86 seconds and three minutes, 46.95 seconds, respectively. Their placings at the meet reflect their new standings in the program history, sitting third and fourth behind Aron Sebhat '16 (3:44.85) and Gabe Pommier '21 (3:46.63). Nicholson and Riss's times are the 16th and 17th fastest times in Division III this season. Nicholson also holds qualifying marks in the 5,000-meter run (14:06.13) and the 10,000-meter run (29:46.93). Riss is qualified in the 5,000-meter run (14:09.96) as well. 

Gage Nielsen also achieved a personal best in the 1,500-meter run of three minutes, 55.12 seconds to finish 14th in the 47-man field. Luke Hoffmann notched a seven-second personal best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in nine minutes, 19.30 seconds to finish seventh. Julian Higueros turned in a second-place finish in the 5,000-meter run in 14 minutes, 34.90 seconds. 

In the field, Gavin Carr hit a season's best clearance of 15 feet (3.57 meters) to finish tenth while Riley Hughes landed two personal best efforts in the shot put (51'8.50", 15.76m) and the discus throw (152'11", 46.60m). Hughes was seventh in the shot put and 19th in the discus. 

North Central is headed to the Polisseni Track and Field Complex in Rochester, New York for the Outdoor National Championships May 25-27.

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