There's no doubt about it - Doane University sports the best track and field program in the GPAC this year.

After claiming both indoor championships earlier this school year, the Tigers have completed the yearlong four-peat by winning both the men's and women's outdoor track and field conference crowns last weekend in Hastings. 

The Tiger men dominated the competition in the GPAC Championships hosted by Hastings College earlier this month, scoring 233.5 team points, the most by a team in the event since 2021, and more than 75 points clear of second-place Dordt. Among the other competing schools from Nebraska, Midland placed third, Concordia placed fourth, and Hastings sixth in the 11-team field.

Hurdler Zach Turner, a senior from Crete, stole the show with another stellar showing. He won both the 110-meter (13.77) and 400-meter hurdles, and became the first athlete in NAIA history to complete the 400 meters in under 50 seconds - 49.99 to be exact, which is the 11th-fastest time recorded by a college athlete this season, NCAA or NAIA. Freshman Andrew Brown finished second to Turner in both of those hurdling events.


Other Tiger individual champions were Joaquin Gutierrez in the 400-meter run (47.51), and Papillion native Andrew Schmitz in the hammer throw (58.94), just ahead of fellow Tiger Trey Dickey, a Seward alum, who placed second. A total of 22 Tiger athletes or teams finished in the top three of their events to help Doane to a dominant first-place team finish. 

The Tiger women were similarly dominant in their competition, scoring 222 team points, almost 60 points clear of second-place Concordia, to capture their first team outdoor title since 2018. Among the other competing schools from Nebraska, St. Mary finished fourth, Midland finished seventh and Hastings ninth in the 12-team field.

Local athletes now competing for Doane claimed a total of eight first-place finishes, including Lincoln High alum Neryah Hekl winning the 100 meters (11.90); Pierce alum Kat Vogt winning the 400 meters (55.23); Conestoga alum Danie Parriott winning the 800 meters (2:13.80); Columbus alum Josie Garrett winning the triple jump (11.99 meters); Meridian Alum Kaylee Pribyl winning the pole vault (3.85 meters); Lexington alum Madison Sutton winning both the discus (48.86 meters) and the shot put (14.04 meters); and a first-place finish in the 4x100 relay for the team of Hekl, Vogt, Beatrice alum Morgan Mahoney and Falls City alum RaeAnn Thompson (46.25).

Including the eight champions, 17 total Tiger athletes or teams finished in the top three of their events to help Doane dominate their fourth track and field competition in as many attempts this school year. 

There are still a couple of competitions left in the school year for both individuals and teams before the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships kick off on May 21. Indiana Wesleyan will be the host site for both the men's and women's championships this month, and Doane will be extremely well-represented with a real shot to claim some more national track and field achievements this season.