PITTSBURG — A pair of national championships came down to the wire at the Robert W. Plaster Center Saturday (Mar. 12).
 
The Tiffin men's indoor track & field team capitalized on its second-place finish in the 4x400m relay to edge Adams State for the 2016 NCAA Division II Men's Indoor Track & Field National Championship, while the Lincoln women needed and secured a victory in the relay to shoot past Hillsdale for fifth indoor crown since 2014 and 12^th overall.
 
The Tiffin men finished the meet with 49 points to secure the program's first Division II national title. Perennial power Adams State finished second with 47 points, while Lincoln and the Academy of Art University tied for third place with 39 points.
 
The Lincoln women compiled 60 points when its 4x400m relay team of Willomena Williams, Jhevere Hall, Kissi-Ann Brown and Venicha Baker broke the division record in the event with a blazing victorious time of 3 minutes, 38.87 seconds. Hillsdale finished second with 58 points and Grand Valley State placed third with 33 points. Pittsburg State and Lewis tied for fourth place in the team standings with 31 points apiece.
 
In the men's action, Tiffin's Lamar Hargove won his third-straight national title in the 200 meters and his NCAA Division II career record fifth indoor national title overall. He won he race in 20.81 seconds. Hargrove also was a late addition to Tiffin's national runner-up 4x400m, running the second leg to help propel the Dragons to the team title.
 
Adams State freshman Sydney Gidabuday became the first athlete in meet history to win the 3000 and 5000 meters at the same indoor Division II championship. He took the 3000m crown in 8;23.13.
 
Minnesota State's Myles Hunter successfully defending his title, topping his own division and championships record with a collegiate-leading clocking of 7.53.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville senior Jordan Yamoah won his third indoor national title in the pole vault, clearing 17-9 (5.41m).
 
Pitt State's Garrett Appier won the title in the shot put by more than two feet with a meet-best throw of 61-11 (18.87m).
 
Azusa Pacific's Shakiel Chattoo won the men's heptathlon with 5,554 points to hold off Pitt State's Tanner McNutt, who finished just 15 points behind despite a three-bar improvement to his pole vault PR and a 16-second advantage in the 1000 meters.
 
In the women's action, Hillsdale fueled its team title hopes with a victories by senior Emily Oren in the mile run (4:35.48) and the 3,000m (9.27.98) and second-place finish by teammate Kristina Galat in the 3,000m (9:30.80).
 
Lincoln countered with a one-two finish in the 200 meters with senior Yanique Ellington winning in 23.62 and Baker finishing second in 23.65.
 
New Mexico Highland's Salcia Slack defended her national crown in the pentathlon scoring 4,172 points. She also claimed the national title in the triple jump (42-3.25).
 
In the shot put, Pitt State senior Cassie Caswell claimed the national title on her sixth and final throw – tossing the iron pellet 55-7.25 for the second-best mark in division history.
 
The Pitt State women enjoyed their highest indoor national finish in school history. The Gorillas previously finished eighth in 1992 and 1996.
 
Junior Amira Jenkins picked up All-America honors and three key points late in the meet with a sixth-place finish in the triple jump (40-2).
 
Sophomore Jasmine Smith earned All-America honors with a fifth-place finish in the shot put (49-5) and junior Emilyn Dearman garnered All-America honors with a fourth-place finish in the pentathlon (3839 pts).
 
The Pitt State men scored 29 points to finish seventh in the team standings, the program's highest indoor finish since the 2010 squad placed sixth.