BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Three members of the St. Olaf College men's track and field team were in action on day one of the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday at the Birmingham Crossplex.

Junior Demetri Lord competed in the first four events of the heptathlon, while seniors Lucas Kramarczuk and Logan Bocovich ran in the prelims of the 60-meter hurdles and the 5,000-meter run, respectively, on the track. The three indoor national qualifiers represented St. Olaf's highest total since 2017.

Competing in his second national meet (first indoors), Kramarczuk tied for 12th in the 60-meter hurdles, placing fifth in the opening heat in 8.22 seconds. The senior tied with Joey Masser of Susquehanna University down to the third decimal place (8.215) to match his national finish from the 110-meter hurdles outdoors last spring. Kramarczuk was St. Olaf's first qualifier in the event since at least 1996.

In his first NCAA Indoor Championships, Bocovich placed 17th in the 5,000-meter run in 15:09.10 while competing in a field that saw two runners break the previous championship record and three runners run sub-14-minute times. Bocovich was the program's fourth national qualifier in the event since 2014.

Lord compiled 2,451 points through the first four events of the heptathlon to sit 19th in the standings at the conclusion of day one. The junior started the day with a ninth-place finish in the 60-meter dash (7.26) before finishing 20th in the long jump (5.85m, 19' 2 ½") to dip to 16th. On his final attempt, Lord recorded the second-best throw of his career in the shot put with a mark of 11.52 meters (37' 9 ½") to rise two spots to 14th. He wrapped up the day by clearing 1.68 meters (5' 6") in the high jump on his first attempt before going out on 1.71 meters (5' 7 ¼").

The heptathlon resumes at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 11 with the 60-meter hurdles before the pole vault and the 1,000-meter run.