Three Storm athletes officially announced in national meet field

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Three members of the Simpson men's track and field program were officially named as competitors in the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Spencer Moon and Max Cleveland will compete in a combined three running events, while Carter Berkey will represent the Storm in the long jump.

Moon had national qualifying times in the mile, 3000 meters, and 5000 meters, but will compete in the latter two events only. Moon holds the school records in each of the events, winning a conference title in each last weekend. Moon ranks 12th in the country in the 3000 with a time of 8:15.79, just tenths of seconds off his own school record. In the 5000 meters, Moon is ninth, with his school-record time of 14:07.35 set last month.

Cleveland also joins the field in the 60 meter hurdles. Cleveland set a then career-best of 8.17 seconds at the conference championships, leaving him on the edge of qualifying. On Saturday at the Wartburg Qualifier, Cleveland cemented his spot with an 8.13 in the prelims and then an 8.12 in the final, taking second overall in the event. The 8.12 mark is just .01 seconds off the current school record and puts the Indianola, Iowa native in 11th place in the country.

Carter Berkey, another local Indianola product, will compete in the men's long jump. Berkey set his school record of 7.22 meters in late January at the Grinnell Invitational and has won five long jump competitions this year. Berkey comes into the meet ranked 16th in the country.

The NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships will take place over next Friday and Saturday at the Birmingham SportsPlex in Birmingham, Ala. Stay tuned to simpsonathletics.com for updated information such as how to follow and how to watch.