Bassitt wins three events, scores 29.5 points, as Ashland repeats from 2019 championship, with Sreenan among five seniors to win for Grand Valley State in its first title run since 2012; Noble and Ritter sweep 3,000 crowns for Lee, with Cotter repeating in women’s mile, Williamson takes 60 hurdles for third victory

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It was a glorious return to the top for a veteran Grand Valley State women’s team.

It was a distance showcase for Lee teammates Christian Noble and Celine Ritter, along with a reminder of the championship resume of Adams State junior Stephanie Cotter.

And there was too much Trevor Bassitt for any other men’s program to contend with Saturday at the NCAA Division 2 Indoor Championships at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.

Bassitt scored 29.5 points, all but one of them coming on the final day, including victories in the 60-meter hurdles, 200 meters and 4x400 relay, to help Ashland defend its 2019 title by prevailing with 70 points, well ahead of runner-up Grand Valley State.

But the Lakers didn’t return to Michigan without at least one team championship, nearly matching their output from their last title in 2012 by scoring 93 points to more than double the total of second-place Minnesota State, which had 40 points.

Seniors Nicole Sreenan, Angelica Floyd, Elliane Kimes, Allie Ludge and Jessica Eby all won titles for Grand Valley State, which secured its third team championship overall.

“Our team winning, me winning individually, and watching my other teammates totally kill it tonight just added more fuel to my fire,” said Sreenan, who prevailed in the 400 in 54.21 to contribute 17.25 points to the Lakers’ performance.

“We have all been waiting for this day for over a year now, and I know we will carry the high from today into outdoor season.”

Floyd won the 60-meter title in 7.44 to secure the first women’s indoor championship in the event for Grand Valley State, which scored in 11 of 17 events.

Bassitt, who didn’t compete at the 2019 indoor final and was unable to participate at last year’s event at the CrossPlex because of the cancellation of the meet as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, demonstrated again why he is one of the most well-rounded competitors in collegiate track and field.

Bassitt set a meet record in winning the 200 in 20.48 and secured the 60-meter hurdles crown in 7.83, with both championships the first for Ashland in those respective events. He took third in the 60-meter dash in 6.76 and anchored a 4x400 lineup that included Tim Rumas, Channing Phillips and Brayden Chaney to help the Eagles triumph in 3:10.15, capturing Ashland’s first relay title since 2013.

Lee swept the men’s and women’s 3,000 titles, with Christian Noble following his 5,000 championship Friday with another come-from-behind victory Saturday, rallying again past Isaac Harding from Grand Valley State with a 28.22-second final 200 to prevail by an 8:00.45 to 8:00.63 margin.

Noble, the Division 2 indoor record holder on a 200-meter banked track with his 7:51.46 effort Jan. 31 from the Magic City Elite Series at the CrossPlex, became only the second male athlete in division history to sweep both the 3,000 and 5,000 titles in the same year. Former Adams State star Sydney Gidabuday achieved the double in both 2016 and 2018.

Celine Ritter, a senior from Germany, captured the first women’s national title in program history by rallying from third place entering the final lap with a 30.56 closing split to earn the win in 9:22.03, holding off Grand Valley State junior Hannah Roeske (9:23.07) and Malone junior Mackenna Curtis-Collins (9:23.41).

“With both athletes coming into the weekend as the D-2 record holders, there was pressure to show up and execute on the day,” Lee coach Caleb Morgan said. “Both athletes ran with extreme confidence at the front of their races and relied on their speed to pull away at the end. We have done a lot of simulation workouts the last three weeks to prepare each of them to have a big kick.”

Cotter, an Irish athlete, was the only individual to defend her title from 2019, surging in the final two laps of the mile to clock 4:51.72, with Colorado State-Pueblo junior Hailey Streff taking second in 4:52.82.

She became the only Adams State female athlete to win multiple mile titles, giving the Grizzlies five in their program history. Cotter also became the fourth Division 2 competitor in the event to repeat as champion.

Saginaw Valley State sophomore Cheyenne Williamson was the only female athlete to win three individual titles, joining Bassitt as a three-time champion at the event.

After capturing the pentathlon crown Thursday and long jump championship Friday, Williamson won the 60-meter hurdles Saturday in 8.41. Saginaw Valley State had just one women’s title in program history before this weekend.

Sophomore Taylor Nelloms won the women’s triple jump with a second-round effort of 43-6.50 (13.27m), securing the third title in the past four years in the event for West Texas A&M, following Rellie Kaputin in 2017 and Fatim Affessi in 2018.

Indianapolis senior Berenice Cleyet-Merle joined teammate Lauren Bailey as national champion, clocking 2:07.43 to secure the 800 title.

Hillsdale senior Kajsa Johansson won the women’s 200 in 24.03, with Sreenan taking third for Grand Valley State in 24.37.

With the team championship already secure, Grand Valley State placed fourth in the 4x400 relay (3:47.91), as Colorado Mesa’s Jill Payne, Mica Jenrette, Sierra Arceneaux and McKenna Molder triumphed in 3:47.09 for the program’s first relay title, as the top four teams were all separated by less than a second.

Academy of Art junior James Young edged Colorado Mesa junior Tony Torres in the men’s mile by a 4:00.40 to 4:00.86 margin to secure the program’s first championship in the event.

It was a similar thrilling finish and memorable title in the men’s 800, with Grand Valley State senior Dennis Mbuta holding off Queens (North Carolina) senior Seb Anthony by a 1:48.62 to 1:48.74 margin.

Sophomore Benjamin Azamati won the first men’s 60-meter title for West Texas A&M in 6.60, with Quincy freshman Jalon White clocking 47.31 to secure the program’s first 400 crown.

The men’s triple jump showcased sixth-round heroics for UC Colorado Springs junior Dakota Abbott, who produced a mark of 51-5.75 (15.69m) to triumph over long jump champion Kizan David of Lincoln (Missouri), who delivered a final-round effort of 51-2.75 (15.61m).

Harding freshman Dorian Chaigneau cleared 17-3.50 (5.27m) on his first attempt in the pole vault, winning the program’s first title in the event on fewer misses against Cedarville senior Tommy Ansiel, who cleared the same height on his third opportunity.

— Mary Albl contributed to this story