PITTSBURG — The 2019 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Championships open Friday (Mar. 8) at the Robert W. Plaster Center on the Pittsburg State University campus and continues through Saturday (Mar. 9).

Friday's action gets under way at 10 a.m. with the start of the men's heptathlon action. The final scheduled event Friday is the men's distance medley relay set for 7 p.m. On Saturday the competition starts with the women's pentathlon at 10 a.m. and the championships culminate later that evening with the men's 4x400m relay slated as the last event at 8 p.m.

Tickets for the national championships are $20 for an adult two-day pass or $12 for an adult single-day pass. Student-child (5-17), college student (with College ID) and senior citizen (65 & older) single-day passes are $7. Children four & under are free.
 
This will be the third time in the last four years that the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships have been held at the Robert W. Plaster Center (2016, 2018).

Pitt State is the defending NCAA Division II Indoor Men's Track & Field National Champion. The Gorillas scored 49 points last year at the Robert W. Plaster Center to hold off national runner-up Tiffin, which compiled 48 points. Adams State (44), Ashland (40.5) and Texas A&-Commerce (29) rounded out the top five men's squads.
 
Adams State is the No. 1 ranked men's team in the USTFCCCA national poll entering the national championships. Ashland is ranked second, followed by Central Missouri, Western State and Tiffin.

West Texas A&M is the defending NCAA Division II Indoor Women's Track & Field National Champion. The Lady Buffs scored 53 points to capture the national title. Western State (40), Lincoln, Mo. (36), Mary (31), Adams State (30) and Pitt State (30) rounded out the top five women's squads.
 
The women's top-five ranked teams entering the national championships are:  Adams State, Grand Valley State, Lincoln, Missouri Southern and San Francisco State.

Gorillas Primed for Championships Experience
Ten Pittsburg State University track & field athletes qualified for the 2019 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships —six women and four men.
 
Sophomore Haven Lander and redshirt freshman Trace Mosby lead the Pitt State women. Lander enters the national meet ranked No. 1 in the pole vault (13-5.25), while Mosby is ranked No. 1 in the pentathlon (3,848 pts.).
 
Senior Jena Black qualified ninth in the shot put (50-7.25), junior Brianna Cooks qualified 10^th in the weight throw (62-6.5) and senior Renee Rhodes qualified in a tie for 11^th place in the pole vault (12-8.25).
 
Sophomore McKenzie Penne was a late addition to the women's pentathlon field after a medical scratch opened a competition spot. Penne has a best mark of 3,599 points in the multi events.
 
The MIAA champion Gorillas are ranked No. 9 in the most recent USTFCCCA Division II Women's Top 25 poll.

Senior Kai Miller leads the Pitt State men's contingent. Miller enters the championships ranked No. 4 in the pole vault (17-2.25).
 
Junior Ian Duncan qualified in a tie for 10^th place in the high jump (6-11), while junior Levi Wyrick qualified 10^th in the weight throw (65-11). Junior Louis Rollins qualified 11^th in the long jump (24-7.25) and in a tie for 14^th in the 60 meter hurdles (8.06).
 
The Pitt State men are ranked No. 23 in the most recent USTFCCCA Division II Top 25 poll.