BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birgen Nelson (Sr., Edina) has done it again.
The Gustavus senior hurdler Saturday claimed her second career national championship, winning the 60-hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a meet record time of 8.39. Nelson’s second national title comes after winning the 100-hurdles at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Nelson opened the national meet Friday by winning the prelims with a time of 8.48, setting the stage for today’s national championship run. Nelson becomes the first Gustavus women’s track & field athlete in program history to win a NCAA indoor national championship. Nelson also claims her second indoor All-America honor after taking seventh place last year at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Annika Poe (Sr., Big Lake) also earned her second consecutive indoor All-America honor after taking sixth place in the shot put. Poe earned a spot in the finals after recording a mark of 46-3.5 on her second throw. Poe then used the additional three throws to her advantage, improving her distance to 46-4.25 on the fifth throw and saving her best for last with a mark of 47-8 in the sixth and final attempt. Catie Fobbe of UW-Eau Claire won the title with a distance of 49-4.25.
Poe joins Gustavus Athletics Hall of Famer Jackie Luehmann ’04 as the only Gusties to earn two indoor All-America honors in the shot put.
“This is our fourth national meet together!” Nelson and Poe said after the meet. “It has been really cool to see each other’s progression each year. We are really proud of each other and happy to represent Gustavus at this meet together.”