Douglas White, d3photography.com

The WashU track and field teams wrapped up a hard-fought weekend at the 2025 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in Rochester, New York, on March 14-15, with the women finishing as national runners-up with 45.5 points and the men securing All-American performances. Across two days of competition, the two teams delivered standout field event performances, key sprint finishes, and a national title — capping off an indoor season filled with record-breaking efforts.

The most significant moment of the meet came from senior Yasmin Ruff, who claimed her first indoor national title in the pole vault. Already the reigning outdoor national champion, Ruff cleared 4.02 meters to secure the win, making her a national champion in both seasons and one of the greatest vaulters in WashU history. Ruff’s victory set the tone for a weekend where the Bears steadily climbed the team standings, finishing just behind Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for second place.

Graduate student Ebun Opata came within centimeters of a title of her own, taking second place in the triple jump with a school-record leap of 12.59 meters. It was her best jump of the season, but just .01 meters short of first place. Opata wasn’t done, though, adding a sixth-place finish in the high jump with a 1.68 meter clearance to secure more crucial points for the Bears.

Junior Jenae Bothe had a championship-caliber performance in the shot put, launching a massive 14.96 meter throw to claim second place and break the school record. It was a performance that further solidified her status as one of the best throwers in the nation.

On the track, junior Jasmine Wright kept her stellar season rolling, finishing third in the 60 meters with a time of 7.53 seconds. The performance added her fourth All-American honor to her resume, capping off a winter where she set a UAA record and became one of the top sprinters in D-III.

In the final event of the meet, the 4×400 relay team of sophomore Julia Coric, first-year Quinn Bird, sophomore Cate Christopher, and junior Kylie Spytek delivered when it mattered most, crossing the line in a school-record 3:46.20 to finish third. The relay performance helped WashU hold second place overall, wrapping up another incredible indoor season for the women’s squad.

While MIT took the national title by just 3.5 points, WashU’s women’s team finished as the national runner-up for the second consecutive year, proving once again that they belong among D-III track and field elite.

The men’s team may not have been in the title race, but sophomore Peter Lichtenberger made sure WashU left Rochester with hardware, delivering a third-place finish in the pole vault with a clearance of 5.10 meters. Lichtenberger’s’ performance earned him First Team All-American honors, and he wasn’t alone on the podium — graduate student Tommaso Maiocco finished sixth, giving the Bears two All-Americans in the event. Pole vault was an evident strength for WashU, as junior George Bourdier cleared 4.90 meters to finish tied for ninth, earning Second Team All-American honors.

At the end of the meet, the men’s team settled for 20th overall, a solid finish for a squad that proved its ability to compete nationally.

With multiple All-Americans, a national champion, and school records falling across the board, WashU’s track and field teams closed their indoor season on a high note. For the women, a second straight national runner-up finish keeps them firmly in the conversation as one of the best programs in the country, while the men’s squad continues to build on its strengths. Now, the Bears turn their attention to the outdoor season, which starts on March 27.