Hawks Soar to Second at Nationals

Utica, NY: The Hawks women's track and field team capped off a strong 2025 season with a second-place finish at the NJCAA Division III National Championships in Utica, New York. Entering the meet ranked third nationally, the Hawks exceeded expectations with a series of standout performances from their eight-woman roster, led by a core group of sophomores. Headlining the weekend was Natalia Pocica, who won the national title in the triple jump with a school record performance, becoming the program's newest individual champion. In total, seven Hawks earned All-American honors, continuing the program's tradition of excellence on the national stage.

The Hawks got off to a fast start on Thursday, May 8, scoring big in the field events to close the opening day with 31 points. Pocica delivered the highlight of the day, winning the national title in the triple jump with a school record leap of 36' 9". Right behind her, Lucia Sanchez Scriven soared to a personal best of 34' 10.5" to place third, giving the Hawks a powerful finish in the event. Sanchez Scriven also claimed third place in the pole vault to earn her second All-American honor of the day. In the throws, Hannah Schulz launched a personal best of 124' 4" in the hammer to take third, while Rose Wagner placed sixth to secure additional team points. With momentum on their side, the Hawks closed day one in strong contention near the top of the team standings.

Day two of the NJCAA DIII National Championships featured a full slate of preliminary races and the shot put final, as the Hawks continued to build momentum heading into the weekend. Wagner earned valuable points in the field, finishing sixth in the shot put and adding three more points to the team total. On the track, Pocica advanced to the 400m finals with the second-fastest time overall, while teammate Ashley Harrison finished 13th. In the 100m, Zoe Pavlu just missed the finals despite running a personal best of 13.18, placing ninth overall. Perla Vargas followed closely in 13th. In the hurdles, Delaney Gale and Sanchez Scriven both impressed, advancing in both the 100m and 400m hurdle events, giving the Hawks multiple finals qualifiers. The day closed with the 200m prelims, where Pocica and Pavlu moved on to Saturday's final, while Vargas narrowly missed out. With a strong showing in the prelims, Harper positioned itself for a major push in the finals on championship Saturday.

The final day of the NJCAA DIII National Championships saw the Hawks finish strong, securing a runner-up team finish behind a flurry of standout performances in both field and track events. Sanchez Scriven opened the day with a runner-up finish in the long jump, soaring to a new personal best of 17' 11", while Schulz matched that energy in the discus, also taking second place with a personal best throw of 116' 4". On the track, the 400m relay team of Gale, Vargas, Pavlu, and Pocica kicked off the finals with a second-place finish, setting the tone for the day. Pocica followed with another second-place finish in the 400m, her second All-American honor of the meet. In the 100m hurdles, Gale ran a personal best 15.60 to take third, while Sanchez Scriven also hit a new PR of 16.95 to place sixth. Both returned in the 400m hurdles, finishing fifth and eighth, respectively. In the 200m final, Pocica finished fifth and Pavlu clocked a personal best 26.67 for sixth. The meet concluded with the 1600m relay, as the same four from the 400m relay, this time with Pavlu and Vargas swapping spots, closed out the weekend with another second-place finish in 4:21.11. The Hawks' consistent scoring across events and multiple All-American performances secured a second-place national finish, capping off another remarkable season.

The Hawks wrapped up their season with a statement, finishing second overall at the NJCAA DIII National Championships and proving once again that they are among the nation's elite. Despite bringing a smaller roster than in past championship runs, the team's talent, depth across events, and competitive fire led to seven All-American performances, a national champion, and multiple personal bests. Natalia Pocica, who was named the team's MVP, led the way with a school record and national title in triple jump, as well as All-American finishes in the 400m, 200m, 400m relay, and 1600m relay. Sophomores Lucia Sanchez Scriven, Delaney Gale, Rose Wagner, Zoe Pavlu, and Perla Vargas alongside freshmen Hannah Schulz delivered when it mattered most, combining for crucial points in sprints, hurdles, throws, and jumps. From the first vault to the final relay, the Hawks competed with heart, precision, and resilience—solidifying their legacy with yet another podium finish on the national stage.

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Players Mentioned

Delaney Gale: Sophomore; 100mH, 400mH

Zoe Pavlu: Sophomore; 100m, 200m

Natalia Pocica: Sophomore; 200m, 400m, TJ

Lucia Sanchez Scriven: Sophomore; 100mH, 400mH, PV, LJ, TJ

Perla Vargas: Sophomore; 100m, 200m, 400m

Rose Wagner: Sophomore; Throws

Hannah Schulz: Freshman; Throws

Ashley Harrison: Freshman; 400m

Players Mentioned

Delaney Gale
: Sophomore; 100mH, 400mH

Zoe Pavlu
: Sophomore; 100m, 200m

Natalia Pocica
: Sophomore; 200m, 400m, TJ

Lucia Sanchez Scriven
: Sophomore; 100mH, 400mH, PV, LJ, TJ

Perla Vargas
: Sophomore; 100m, 200m, 400m

Rose Wagner
: Sophomore; Throws

Hannah Schulz
: Freshman; Throws

Ashley Harrison
: Freshman; 400m