Southern Indiana Today

Diemer-McKinney Breaks School Record With All-American Performance At Indoor Nationals

Wabash College freshman Haiden Diemer-McKinney capped his first NCAA Championship experience by earning All-America honors, breaking a school record, and racing to third place in the finals of the 800-meter run Saturday afternoon.

Diemer-McKinney finished third in Saturday's 800-meter final at the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Championship Meet held at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama. The first-year collegiate runner crossed the finish line in 1:50.16 for a career-best time, breaking the Wabash school record of 1:50.30 set ten years earlier at the 2013 NCAA DIII Indoor Championships by two-time indoor 800-meter national champion Jake Waterman. Waterman set that record in his second indoor national title race.   

"I'm still in shock of what just happened," Diemer-McKinney said. "Being in that atmosphere in a facility like the Birmingham CrossPlex was surreal, so I felt more excited than nervous for the most part. Competing in the prelims on Friday was definitely nerve-racking when I got to the line. I thought, "we didn't travel all the way here for me not to run to my potential.". Knowing that all my family and Wabash representatives came all the way here to support me, I wanted to make their trips worth it. 

 "In Saturday's final, I told myself I wasn't really meant to be here, so just run your heart out and see what happens. I wanted to make the most of the opportunity at hand and leave this experience satisfied. To say I did just that is something I am very grateful for.

"  Diemer-McKinney nearly missed the opportunity to even run at the championship event. After running in a last-chance qualifier last Saturday at Ohio Northern, he ranked 21st on the NCAA DIII performance list in the 800. When the qualifying field of 20 runners was announced last Sunday, Diemer-McKiney made that list as the last runner entered in the event. 

  Friday, he ran in the third heat, posting the eighth-quickest time overall at 1:51.73 to earn the final spot in Saturday's final and guarantee All-America honors in his first season. 

 "We're so proud of what Haiden accomplished this weekend," associate track and field head coach and head cross country coach Tyler McCreary said. "Making the final as a freshman at the NCAA championship is tough to do, and he gave it everything he had to do that. Coming back into the final with little pressure, Haiden executed the race plan perfectly and really gave himself a shot at second. He fought like the Wabash man he is. We're so happy for him.

"  "I am extremely proud of Haiden and Coach McCreary," Wabash head track and field coach Clyde Morgan said. "Coach McCreary has done a phenomenal job developing Haiden on and off the track. Haiden is one of the hardest-working and coachable young men I've been blessed to be around. He is a true NBU (Nothing Breaks Us) man."

  "Outside of competing this weekend, spending time at dinner with my family, coaches, Wabash College Dean Steven Jones, and Kim King was probably the most memorable part of the trip," Diemer-McKinney added. "I think that showed the importance of surrounding yourself with the people who have shown endless support and have helped me get to where I am at this moment."  

Original source can be found here.