ALLENDALE, MI – Dropping the hammer down and never letting up from the starting gun to the finish line, Ida Narbuvoll absolutely dominated the field to win the 5000 meter run in a record-setting performance at the 2021 NCAA Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The victory was the second this weekend for the Marauders senior as Narbuvoll captured the 10,000 meter run Thursday on the opening night of the championships.
 
Narbuvoll becomes the first UMary scholar-athlete to win two individual NCAA championships at the same meet. Melissa Agnew won a pair of titles at the 2012 NCAA indoor championships, capturing the mile run and racing on the Distance Medley Relay national championship team.
 
Picking up where she left off from her 10k championship race she easily won by over 29 seconds, Narbuvoll immediately shattered the title hopes and dreams held by any of the other 16 competitors in a talented field.
 
By 600 meters, Narbuvoll had a lead of over two seconds and kept growing the gap. Just beyond the halfway point at 2600 meters, the 9-time All-American held nearly a 7-second lead over the nearest competitor.
 
Maintaining her advantage for the next five laps, Narbuvoll saved her best for last. On her victory lap, Narbuvoll clocked her fastest split of the day on her way to shattering both an NCAA championship meet record and a school record with a time of 15:37.50. She won the title by over 13 seconds.
 
Narbuvoll decimated the NCAA meet record by more than 21 seconds. The previous mark was 15:59.34 by Julie Bower in 1985. Narbuvoll is also now the second-best performer in NCAA Division II history. The previous UMary record was 16:03.40 by Narbuvoll earlier this season.
 
The native of Norway is the Marauders 7^th NCAA champion and the fourth UMary scholar-athlete to win an individual title. Narbuvoll, Alexis Zeis and Melissa Agnew are the only three to win multiple titles.
 
The previous University of Mary NCAA national champions are Alexis Zeis (Cross Country in 2015 and the Indoor 5,000 meter run in 2017 and 2018), Jennifer Agnew (Cross Country in 2013), Melissa Agnew (Outdoor 1500 meter run in 2013 and Indoor mile run in 2012), and the 2012 UMary Distance Medley Relay Team of Dakota Wolf, Kathryn Stewart, Bri Lynch and Melissa Agnew.
 
Narbuvoll wasn't the only record-setting Marauders performer.  
 
Elizabeth Acheson broke the school record in the 800 meter run to place 5^th in the nation and earn All-American honors for the second time. The Northfield, MN, posted a scintillating time of 2:08.17. Holding down 7^th place entering the second and final lap and stuck behind the pack, the Northern Sun champion shifted into another gear down the stretch to overtake a pair of runners and move into fifth place. Acheson also placed 5^th at the NCAA indoor championships in March. The previous UMary record was 2:08.79 by Bri Lynch in 2015.
 
Taylor Hestekin earned All-American honors for the fifth time in her career, placing 12^th in the 1500 meter run to earn second team recognition. The Scranton, ND, native clocked a time of 4:34.53 in her final race of the day.
 
The Marauders finished 8^th at the NCAA championships with a total of 32 points. Narbuvoll recorded 20 points with her two wins. The national runner-up in the triple jump, D'Andra Morris contributed eight points. Acheson added another four points to the total following her 5^th place finish in the 800.
 
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