Senior Hannah Friend earns All-America honors on opening day of NCAA III Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships

GENEVA — Senior Hannah Friend (Luckey/Eastwood) earned All-America honors in the discus to lead Ohio Northern on the first day of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships on a wet and chilly Thursday.

| NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships site |

The Basics

• Record: Ohio Northern (44-5 Overall).
• Venues: SPIRE Institute - Geneva, Ohio.

Meet Results

• Ohio Northern has scored 1 point and is tied for 24th place after four of 21 events.

Top ONU Performers

• Friend finished eighth of 22 women with a toss of 41.14 meters in very challenging weather conditions with temperatures in the 50s and a driving rain hindering the athletes throughout the competition.
• Junior All-American Claire Schweller (Paulding) was ninth in the pole vault by clearing 3.85 meters.
• Friend moved up to eighth place from 14th on her third and final throw in the prelims and stayed there through three more rounds of the finals. 

Notables

• The top eight finishers earn All-America honors from the NCAA.
• Finishers 9-16 earn Second Team All-America honors by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association.
• Friend entered the meet in a four-way tie for 10th with a school record throw of 151' 2" (46.09 meters).
• This is her first appearance at the NCAA III Championships.
• Schweller was seeded eighth nationally entering the meet in the pole vault at 3.95 meters.
• Schweller was one of seven women to clear 3.85 meters, but finished ninth due the number of misses tiebreaker.
• The pole vault competition was moved indoors due to the poor weather conditions.
• This was her fourth NCAA III Championships appearance. She earned All-America honors last season Outdoors with a fifth place finish by clearing 3.86 meters.
• She has finished ninth in her three other appearances - 2024 and 2025 Indoors and now 2025 Outdoors.
• The top 22 in each individual event and the top 16 relays at the end of the season qualified for the NCAA III Championships May 22-24 in Geneva, Ohio.
• Head Coach Jason Maus is in his 16th year at Ohio Northern and is 534-178-3 in women's outdoor track and field for a winning percentage of .745.

Up Next

• Friend and senior Izzy Burman (Benton Ridge/Liberty Benton) will compete in the shot put at 2 pm on Friday on Day 2 of the NCAA III Championships.