The Master’s University’s Hannah Fredericks finished third in the final of the 10,000m on the first day of competition at the 2025 NAIA Track & Field National Championships on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University on Wednesday, May 21.

In addition to the other teams and the high-caliber athletes, everyone had to compete against the conditions, which were cold, wet and windy.

“I don’t think it affected too much,” said TMU Head Coach Daniel Rush. “It wasn’t the worst conditions we’ve ever competed in by far. It was a little cold, a little windy and a little rainy, and we train in that frequently, particularly for distance running. So I really don’t think it affected us too much. You’ll see a little more of an effect in the sprints and the field events where warmth is generally more desired. So times were a little slower on average, and I think it affected everyone pretty equally. I don’t think our results today would have been very different in different conditions.”

In the final track meet of her legendary career, Fredericks settled into the back of the field for the first few laps of the 25-lap 10k race before surging through the pack to settle into third for the final half of the race. The two runners who finished ahead of her pulled away early from the pack and never let up.

“I definitely went out faster than I thought, so it wasn’t actually the race I was thinking it was going to be at all,” Fredericks said. “And I was running alone for most of the race, so it was sweet to just embrace the race the Lord had. I’m also thankful for the season He has allowed me to have since this was my last 10k race most likely, so it gave me time to reminisce as I was grinding it out alone out there. But overall, a super-sweet race and a super-sweet way to close it out.”

Coach Rush pointed out that the objective of a distance race like the 10k normally is to be patient and not go out too fast too soon.

“With any 10k, the race is so long that the first mistake you can make is to make too many moves,” Rush said. “Too aggressive, too early, too anxious, too antsy. So the (goal) is always to tuck in, be invisible, and normally that would have been a very good strategy. This race started out a little faster than usual, so it became spread out very quickly and there was no way to be invisible. It would have been preferable if she was a little closer to the front when those moves were made. But at the end of the day, the two ladies that beat her are two of the most talented Americans that the NAIA has ever seen. They are both freshman and so it’s no shame to lose to girls like that. And Hannah should be very proud of that race. Running it by herself for that long, it was a very gutsy race and third place is incredibly impressive for what she was given tonight.”

Fredericks still has the 5k to run, and is also a candidate to run in the final of the 4 x 800 relay final for the team.

The rest of day one was filled with prelims, with the women’s 4 x 800 team of Emma Nelson, Rebekah Niednagel, Suzie Johnson and Ellen Palmgren qualifying the team for the finals with a time of 9:19.13, good for second in the heat.

Nate Day also qualified for the finals in the 1500m with a time of 4:00.58. Cedar Collins’ time of 4:05.46 in the same heat just missed getting into Friday’s final.

Niednagel also ran in the women’s 1500m, putting down a time of 4:55.73. The men’s 4 x 800 team of Connor Ybarra, Andrew Cross, Jack Warmack and Domenic Ghiorso ran an 8:10.04.

Day two on Thursday will feature the finals of the men’s and women’s 4 x 800 relay. It will also have the prelims of the men’s and women’s 800m, and the men’s and women’s 5k, all of which will feature TMU athletes.

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