Warriors Earn Best-Ever Finish at NAIA Indoor Champs; Atwater Named MVP

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Midland University men's track and field closed out the indoor season with a historic performance at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships, finishing sixth—the highest team placement in program history. The Warriors secured their 12th consecutive Top 25 finish and their eighth Top 10 placing during that span.

Robert Atwater led the way with a dominant performance, earning Most Valuable Performer honors after capturing the national title in the heptathlon with a school-record 5,396 points. He also claimed All-America recognition in four individual events, finishing second in the triple jump (15.25m), third in the high jump (2.12m), sixth in the long jump (7.31m), and ninth in the pole vault (4.80m).

Lucas Hjortkjaer added to Midland's record-breaking weekend, setting a new school mark in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:26.46 in the prelims. He went on to place eighth in the finals (2:27.79). Shandon Reitzell also etched his name in the record books, breaking his own program record in the 600 meters with a time of 1:20.82, finishing 16th. Henri Stoeckermann took 16th in the 800 meters (1:54.08).

In relay competition, the 4x800-meter team of Hjortkjaer, Stoeckermann, Braden Taylor, and Koen Steenblok placed 11th with a time of 7:40.37, while the 4x400-meter team—featuring Noah Sherman, Raheem Richards, Kenya Ford, and Reitzell—finished 26th in 3:26.21.

With a record-setting indoor season in the books, the Warriors now shift their focus to the outdoor campaign. The first meet on the schedule is the Bethel Invite on March 22 in Wichita, Kansas.