Storm sending five events to outdoor nationals

The Simpson men's track and field team qualified a remarkable five events for the 2017 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships next week in Geneva, Ohio. Simpson is sending seven student-athletes in all to the meet, which will be held May 25-27 at SPIRE Institute and is being hosted by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and the University of Mount Union.

• Complete List of Qualifiers
• Championship Website
• Schedule of Events

Here are Simpson's national qualifiers: 

Dylan Kalinay — 110 hurdles
Kalinay is making his third straight trip to nationals in the 110 hurdles, placing 14th as a freshman in 2015 and eighth as a sophomore in 2016. The junior posted his qualifying time early this season, running the nation's fifth-fastest time (14.30) at the Musco Twilights on April 22 in Iowa City. If Kalinay can place in the top eight again, he will join Hall of Famer Mike Godbout as the only Storm hurdlers with multiple All-American certificates in the 110 highs. 

Isaac Frazier — Decathlon
Frazier is making his second consecutive trip to nationals in the decathlon, placing 11th as a junior in 2016. Frazier locked in his bid by scoring 6,455 points to win the Iowa Conference Championship on May 12 in Storm Lake. Already a strong hurdler and jumper, Frazier is seeing improvements in the throwing events. He set personal bests in the shot put and javelin throw at conference. The two-sport star hopes to close his career as Simpson's first All-American decathlete since 2013.

Chase Wetterling — 400 meters
Wetterling saved his best race for last, solidifying his first appearance at the national outdoor meet by running 47.72 at the Augustana Midwest Twilight Final Qualifier on Thursday. The time moved him from 19th in Division III to eighth. He is Simpson's first national-qualifier in the 400 meters since Ben Coy in 2012. Simpson's best finish in the event came in 1991 when Mike Kelly placed second.

Jordan Coughenour — 400 hurdles
The two-time Iowa Conference champion goes into his first outdoor national championship with the 17th-fastest time in Division III. The junior posted his best time of the season at the Augustana Midwest Twilight Final Qualifier on Thursday, running 53.36. Simpson's last All-American in the event was Pat Camp, who placed sixth in 1995.

Chase Wetterling / Matt Pearson / Travis Tupper / Jordan Coughenour — 4x400 relay
Head coach Dave Cleveland's slight tweak to the order of the relay paid off as the foursome went sub-3:15 for the first time at the Augustana Midwest Twilight Qualifier on Thursday, running 3:14.58. Tupper and Pearson had been running the second and third legs, respectively, for most of the season, but Cleveland made the switch to get the team to 11th in the country. Kirk Wicks ran in place of Pearson on the indoor All-American squad and is an alternate outdoors. The Storm's last All-American performance in the outdoor 4x400 came in 1992.