EMPORIA, Kan. – Minnesota State placed fifth with 35 points at the 2023-24 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships Saturday at Welch Stadium, hosted by Emporia State. Ranked No. 3 in the nation entering the event, the Mavericks named 11 All-Americans plus one relay team, including four First Team honorees and seven Second Team members.
 
Pittsburgh State won the NCAA Division II team title with 100 points, followed by Adam State (72), Azusa Pacific (44) and Grand Valley State (39.5).
 
One of the greatest student-athletes in the history of Minnesota State athletics Denisha Cartwright (Nassau, Bahamas) furthered her legendary status with NCAA National Championships in both the 100 meter hurdles and 200 meters. She also placed second in the 100 meters and eighth in the 4x100 meter relay, giving her 16 career outdoor All-America trophies and five career National titles.
 
Cartwright began the afternoon in the 4x100 meter relay and teamed with Adeyah Brewster, Rose Cramer and Tijuanique Morton. The Mavericks made a mistake on their first exchange and finished in eighth place with a time of 51.89.
 
A short time later, Cartwright sprinted to her third straight 100 meter hurdles title with a time of 12.37. Wind aided all student-athletes in the race (+4.2 m/s) and Cartwright outran the competition by nearly a full second to eclipse her own fastest time in Division II this season. It was the second quickest time in all NCAA levels (Masai Russell, Kentucky, 12.36).
 
Brewster also crossed the line as a First Team All-American in the event with her third place time of 13.30.
 
Sophomore Alexis Brown (Lenoir-Rhyne) finished just ahead of Cartwright in the 100 meters with a time of 10.96. It was Cartwright's fourth straight 100 Meter First Team All-America post. Her second place time was 11.14.
 
In the final race of her distinguished career, Cartwright outlasted Sariyah Copeland (Fresno State) and Alexis Brown (Lenoir-Rhyne) to win her first 200 meter National title in 22.91 (personal best), accelerating at lightning pace out of the blocks, then leading down the stretch.
 
Cartwright closed her Maverick career with a combined indoor/outdoor 30 All-America honors and eight individual National Championships.
 
Junior Paige Hickson took Second Team All-America in pole vault on day two with a 10^th place mark of 3.85 meters. Also on day two, Brewster placed ninth in long jump with a mark of 6.01 meters (19' 8.75") for Second Team All-America. Freshman Victoriia Ermolaeva wrapped up women's heptathlon in 12^th place with a personal best score of 5,148 and Second Team All-America.
 
The Mavericks were well represented in discus by Aubri Brown, Madeline Fretag and Mack Rath. Brown, a freshman, placed 12^th with a mark of 44.82 meters (147' 0"). Senior Madeline Fretag was 15^th at 44.12 meters (144' 9") and senior Mack Rath came in 18^th (43.40 meters, 142' 5"). Brown and Fretag earned Second Team All-America for their efforts.
 
MSU also had three student-athletes in triple jump. Lillian Washington placed ninth with a mark of 12.58 meters (41' 3.25"), followed by 10^th place Ghada Hamdani (12.52 meters, 41' 1") and 17^th place Stella Neophytou (12.12 meters, 39' 9.25"). Washington and Hamdani were Second Team All-America.
 
The Mavericks finished second last season at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with 57 points. Next on the calendar for select athletes are the USATF U20 Championships (June 12-13) and the US Olympic Trials (June 21-30). Both are at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.