Against one of the deepest fields in the history of the NCAA DII Indoor Championships, Hillsdale College women's track and field athletes Nikita Maines and Katie Sayles competed well but were unable to advance to the finals of the women's weight throw on Friday at the Plaster Center in Pittsburgh, Kansas.
Both athletes were making their first appearance at the DII Championships in the weight throw in their careers, though Maines has qualified twice before for the national meet in the shot put. Maines, a junior, came close to breaking through to the finals and contending for an All-American spot, with a third and final throw of 18.67 meters that would have gotten her there most years. However, an exceptionally strong field in 2022 meant that that mark came three centimeters short of a spot in the top nine and advancement to the finals, instead putting Maines in a still-impressive 10th place in the nation in the event.
Sayles, a freshman, also acquitted herself well in her first national meet appearance. Her first throw of 17.79 meters was good enough to place 13th, ahead of several multi-year veterans of past NCAA Championships.
Friday was just the beginning for Maines and Sayles, who will both return next year for indoor track and field with another opportunity to get back to the NCAA Indoor Championships and try to better their 2022 finish. Both athletes also have the 2022 outdoor season, which begins in two weeks.
Maines also competes in the shot put on Saturday at 6 p.m. along with Charger freshman Averi Parker, giving her an opportunity to build off of her performance on Friday. It's Maines' third time qualifying for the national meet and she'll be looking for her first All-American placement as the sixth seed in the event, a year after taking 11th in the shot put at the 2021 NCAA Indoor National Championships.