Men's Track & Field has Six Competing at Indoor Nationals
Heidelberg College will be represented by six athletes at the NCAA Division III Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio March 14-15. Leading the list of competitors is the two-time defending long jump national champion senior Greg Tyson Jr. (Lima, Ohio / Lima Senior). Joining Tyson in the long jump is sophomore Julius Higginbotham (Elyria, Ohio / Elyria), as well as the 4x400-meter relay team of Cory Beebe (Medina, Ohio / Cloverleaf), Mark Childs (New Albany, Ohio / New Albany), Wes Hendricks (Beavercreek, Ohio / Beavercreek) and Justin Zuchowski (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick).
Tyson and Higginbotham will take to the long jump pit on Friday, March 14 beginning at 1:00 p.m., while the 4x400-meter relay team will race at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, March 15.
Tyson is making his third-consecutive trip to the national meet in the long jump. He has leaped to the front of the pack in each of his three seasons and heads into nationals with a season-best jump of 23’10”. Overall, Tyson has racked up four All-American honors in indoor track for his career. Tyson’s action with indoor track and field has been limited, as he was member of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Championship men’s basketball team, which earned the program’s third trip to the NCAA Tournament. Tyson was able to participate in the conference meet in the triple jump where he picked up all-league honors.
Making his first appearance at the indoor national meet is Higginbotham. Higginbotham is coming off his best performance of the year at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships March 8. He leaped to the OAC Title in the long jump with a season-best 23’8” jump. Along the way he was tabbed the Bud Yoest Field Athlete of the Meet after also taking a third in the triple jump.
The 4x400-meter relay team will be making its first appearance at the national meet this weekend. The group brings a school record time of 3:18.64 to the meet. The relay set a new school record at the Kent State Tune-Up meet Feb. 23.