PITTSBURG, Kan. – Shattering the school record, University of Sioux Falls Track & Field's Zach Lundberg, Trey Furgeson, Billy Beseman and Mason Phillips ran to the highest finish in a track event in program history at the NCAA Championships on Friday night. The Cougars took fourth place in the event, adding their third top-eight All-American finish in the event in the past five years (8th place 2015; 8th place 2018).
 
After a surge by Phillips on the anchor leg, Sioux Falls finished with a time of 9:48.74, breaking the record set by Lundberg, Beseman, Phillips and Logan Hansen set a year ago. The Cougars' time was less than a second off the winning time and will earn them five points in the team score.
 
Lundberg led off the race, splitting a 3:01.49 in the opening 1,200 meters. Handing off to Furgeson for the 400-meter leg, Trey helped position the Cougars with a 47.81-second time in his portion of the race.
 
Beseman followed with a 1:53.72 split in the 800-meter leg, keeping the Cougars in the top eight before the final leg. Following the final exchange, Phillips climbed up three places before settling into fourth. Reeling in the leaders, Phillips made his move with just over 200 meters to go and he got within distance of the eventual winners Colorado State-Pueblo, but couldn't overtake the leader in a thrilling finish, turning in a 4:05.73 over the final 1,600 meters.
 
Earlier in the day, junior Tristan Zawadzki made his NCAA Championship debut in the men's pole vault two weeks after capturing his first career NSIC title. Unfortunately, Zawadzki did not clear the opening bar of 4.86 meters (15 feet-11.25 inches).
 
The Cougars will conclude the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, tomorrow, March 9 with Emma Hertz competing in the women's shot put and Zach Lundberg racing in the men's 3,000-meter run.