MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Two members of the Salisbury University men's track and field team represented the program well on the first day of the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships on Thursday at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium.
Kai Smith qualified for Saturday's finals in the 200 meters by finishing sixth in preliminaries, while
Logan Kelsch started the day by finishing 17th in the discus throw.
Smith, a sophomore from Upper Marlboro, Md., ran in the third leg of the 200-meter prelims and crossed the finish line in a time of 20.98 seconds. The mark was good for sixth place out of 22 national qualifiers and advances Smith to Saturday's finals along with the rest of the top eight. Smith was the only underclassman to qualify for finals among an octet of two seniors and five juniors.
In addition to assuring the program of its 80th All-American and first outdoor honoree since 2022 (
Rashawn Markman, triple jump), Smith is set to become the Sea Gulls' first All-American in a competitive track event since
Eric Halton (indoor 400m) in 2017. (
Mickey Van Gieson was awarded All-America status in the 400 meters during the 2020 indoor season, whose championships were canceled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.)
Kelsch, a sophomore from Fenwick Island, Del., notched a distance of 46.66 meters (153-1) with his third and final discus throw of the day, finishing one position shy of Second-Team All-America status in his first trip to nationals.
Smith and his seven rivals will now prepare for the 200-meter finals, which will be held on Saturday at 6:50 p.m.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 199 conference championships, and 45 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
