BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –– The Mount Union men's indoor track and field team claimed its first-ever team title at the 2018 NCAA Division III Championships Saturday at CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Purple Raiders tallied 41 points to edge out North Central (Ill.) by a single point (40) while Rowan (N.J.) (37 points) and Wis.-Eau Claire (24 points) rounded out the top four spots.
It is the 16th different national title for the school as Mount Union has a record 13 titles in football, including this past year, the 1974 men's cross country title and the 2014 outdoor track and field title.
Congratulations to the 2018 NCAA Division III Men's Indoor Track & Field National Champions of Mount Union! Way to go @purpleraiders! pic.twitter.com/6epqv3ilE8
— NCAA Division III (@NCAADIII) March 11, 2018
Similar to 2014, everything came down to the last event — the 4x400 meter relay — and just like 2014, the Raiders won the event and the title.
HIGHLIGHTS: Day 2 recap | Day 1 recap
Senior Tyler Neff, juniors James Roth and Clark Etzler, along with sophomore AJ Digby, posted a season-best time of 3:13.77 to get the win and the final 10 team points.
The 2018 Division III Men’s Indoor Track & Field 4X400 National Champions! Congratulations Tyler Neff, James Roth, Clarke Etzler and AJ Digby of the @purpleraiders! #d3tf pic.twitter.com/m57vVl5OQP
— NCAA Division III (@NCAADIII) March 11, 2018
Mount Union also got a win in the 60-meter hurdles from sophomore Mason Plant (Shreve / Triway), who posted a school-record time of 8.00 seconds. It was his second All-American finish in the event as he placed third in 2017.
The Raiders were just 0.01 from picking up another event win as Louis Berry (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shady Side Academy) was second in the 60 meter dash with a time of 6.79 seconds. It was his second career All-American place in the event as he was sixth in 2016.
A pair of sophomores completed the scoring for Mount Union in field events in Sean Sherman and Matt Keim.
Sherman became an indoor All-American for the first time as he finished fourth in the shot put with a throw of 56 feet, 3 inches while on Friday Keim had a mark of 16-foot, 6.75-inches in the pole vault to place second and claim All-American honors for the first time in his career.
