TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida State track and field team is looking for a historic weekend at the NCAA Indoor Championships this Friday and Saturday at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala. Action will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday and 5:10 p.m. on Saturday with coverage on ESPN3. ESPNU will re-air the championships on Sunday night beginning at 9:30 p.m. The Noles will be sending seven athletes to Birmingham. Trey Cunningham (60m Hurdles), Isaac Grimes (Long Jump), Ahmed Muhumed (5000m Run), Don’dre Swint (60m Dash), Adriaan Wildschutt (5000m Run), Edidiong Odiong (60m Dash) and Lauren Ryan (3000m Run) all qualified for the championships.
The Noles will be looking for their first indoor national champion since 2014 when Dentarius Locke and James Harris took home the titles. The Noles have a great chance at breaking the streak this weekend with three Noles holding the top time in the NCAA in their events. On the men’s side, four out of the five men going are in the top eight in their events. Cunningham and Wildschutt each lead the NCAA in their event while Swint sits in fourth on the 60m dash list. Isaac Grimes sits in eighth in the long jump but he has the top personal best among the 16-qualifier field. In the 5000m run, Wildschutt and Muhumed will look to become the first distance duo in school history to each earn All-America honors.
The Best of the Best
Trey Cunningham, Adriaan Wildschutt and Lauren Ryan each have had record-breaking seasons for the Noles. Cunningham (60m hurdles), Wildschutt (5000m run) and Ryan (3000m run) each lead the nation in their respective events.
Cunningham continued his stellar season at ACC Indoor Championships, breaking his own school record and ACC record in the 60m hurdles (7.40). Cunningham’s time was the second-fastest time in NCAA history, and he is the only athlete in NCAA history to run 7.42 or faster three separate times.
Wildschutt broke his second school record of the season at the David Hemery Valentine Invite in Boston, Mass. Wildschutt ran the second-fast time in NCAA history in the 5000m run and bested many professionals and Olympians. Wildschutt ran a personal best 13:09.30. Wildschutt also ran a personal best in the 3000m run (7:52.38) which is the second-fastest time in school history right behind teammate Ahmed Muhumed.
Ryan had a phenomenal performance at the David Hemery Valentine Invite in Boston as well, as she broke the school record and the ACC record in the 3000m run by clocking in at 8:47.88. Ryan also holds the school record in the 5000m run (15:40.40) which she also set in Boston at the Sharon-Colyear Season Opener on Dec. 4.
Coming Home
Trey Cunningham has raced in plenty of races with stakes on the line, but the upcoming NCAA Indoor Championships will be special in its own way. Cunningham grew up in Winfield, Ala., just an hour drive from the Birmingham CrossPlex. Cunningham expects to have more than 50 friends and family watch him chase his first national title and Grant Holloway’s 60m hurdle collegiate record time of 7.35. Cunningham is familiar with the track and has already had a special moment at the Birmingham CrossPlex in his career. Cunningham broke the junior world record in 2017 on the same track he will be competing at this Friday and Saturday.
A Standard of Success
The Florida State men have continued to be one of the most successful programs in the ACC and the nation. The men finished second at the ACC Indoor Championships marking the 19th time the Noles have finished in the top two at the ACC Indoor Championships. The Noles also were ranked 10th in this week’s USTFCCCA rankings. This marks the 32nd-straight week the Noles have been ranked inside the top 25 of the USTFCCCA indoor rankings.
Follow
For updates and exclusive content, follow the Noles on Twitter (FSU_Track), Instagram (fsu_track) and Facebook (Florida State Track and Field).
Friday Schedule (All Time Eastern)
5 p.m. Isaac Grimes – Long Jump (Finals)
5:15 p.m. Don’dre Swint – 60m Dash (Prelims)
5:55 p.m. Trey Cunningham – 60m Hurdles (Prelims)
6:05 p.m. Adriaan Wildschutt – 5000m Run (Finals)
6:05 p.m. Ahmed Muhumed – 5000m Run (Finals)
8:15 p.m. Edidiong Odiong – 60m Dash (Prelims)
Saturday Schedule
5:10 p.m. Don’dre Swint – 60m Dash (Finals)
5:40 p.m. Trey Cunningham – 60m Hurdles (Finals)
8:10 p.m. Edidiong Odiong – 60m Dash (Finals)
9:00 p.m. – Lauren Ryan – 3000m Run (Finals)
