Sweigart Claims Ninth in Weight Throw at Nationals

Anderson University men's track and field junior Michael Sweigart claimed ninth place in the weight throw with a personal-record (PR) distance of 18.85 meters (61 feet, 10.25 inches) during the NCAA D-III Indoor Championships on Friday in Virginia Beach, Va.

After entering the meet ranking 20th in NCAA D-III in the weight throw, Sweigart advanced to finals and with his ninth-place finish became a United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Second-Team All-American. The Alexandria native finished one spot shy of becoming a first-team all-American. Sweigart recorded a PR in the weight throw for the third week in a row.

"This was the best field of weight throwers in D-III history," Head Coach Nic Huffman said. "It took well into 19 meters just to place. Any other year and he would be a first-team all-American. It's amazing to be a part of that history. Michael hit PR's for three straight weeks to win conference, qualify for nationals and win the last-chance qualifier, then make finals at nationals even when he was the last qualifier to make it. To be unnerved on a big stage takes incredible mental fortitude. He hasn't backed down from competition all year and he shows up when it matters. His work ethic and dedication are unmatched and I'm so proud of what he has done and how he's developed. We're not done yet. We're moving up his goals and pushing to be back during the outdoor season."

"Overall, it was a great day," Assistant Throws Coach Chuck Foga said. "Michael moving up from 20th to ninth is huge. PR's in every meet for the last three weeks is exceptional. Michael's dedication to getting better has shown during the last month. He deserves all the accolades he gets."

"Overall, the meet went really well," Michael Sweigart said. "I performed the way we planned. We didn't get the result we wanted, but I still hit a big PR and made finals. The atmosphere had a lot of energy – more than other meets. I'm happy with what I was able to do."

Anderson kicks off the outdoor season on Saturday, March 30 in the Hanover College Invitational at 11 a.m. in Hanover.