PITTSBURG, KS – An all-time great performance by D'Andra Morris earned the University of Mary senior her first national championship. Morris broke the school record while posting one of the top collegiate marks to win the triple jump at the NCAA Division II Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships.
 
Morris exploded to a mark of 13.0 meters on her third effort of the day. Not only did she break her own school record of 12.87 meters set while winning the Northern Sun championships two weeks earlier, her winning mark ranks 10^th all-time in NCAA Division II history.
 
After fouling on her first try, Morris took the lead with a mark of 12.60 on her second attempt. The 6-time All-American then took control of the event in the third round when connected for a leap of 13.0 meters. On her 6^th and final effort Morris hit a jump of 12.93.
 
Morris needed to hold her breath momentarily when Taylor Nelloms connected for a big jump on her final attempt but the West Texas A&M scholar-athlete was marked just short at 12.97 meters.
 
The runner-up in the triple jump at both the 2021 NCAA indoor and outdoor championships, Morris is the 8^th UMary scholar-athlete to win an NCAA championship and the first to do so in a field event.
 
The previous University of Mary NCAA national champions are Ida Narbuvoll (Outdoor 5,000 and 10,000 in 2021), 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.
 
Morris, who placed 8^th in the long jump Friday on the opening day of the 2022 NCAA indoor championships, is now a 6-time All-American.
 
"D'Andra made history with the first field national champion in the DII era for the University of Mary women's program," said UMary interim head track & field coach Cale Korbelik. "It came down to the final jump just like last year but this time D'Andra was on the winning side. I could tell how much it meant to her when she fell to her knees after her final jump. This was truly a special performance from a fifth year senior."
 
Taylor Hestekin claimed her fifth All-American citation for her efforts in the mile run. A senior from Scranton, ND, Hestekin claimed second team honors when she finished ninth in the finals of the mile. After placing fifth in the preliminaries on Friday with a personal-record time, Hestekin became tangled with another runner coming out of the final curve and momentarily fell to the track. In a sprint to the finish line, she missed 8^th place by 0.14 seconds with a time of 5:01.21.
 
"I am proud of all the ladies who performed this weekend," said Korbelik. "We had a mix of great moments and heartbreak. I know this group did everything they could to perform at the highest level. This is one of the best national meets in history and they put themselves right in the mix with many opportunities to be an All-American.
 
"These ladies give great pride to our track and field program and University and it feels special to be a part of this performance."
 
The Marauders finished with 11 team points. Final team results are not yet available. Updates will be provided later.
 
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