WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -
Esther Seeland led for all 800 Meters of her National Championship run on Saturday afternoon on the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C. Seeland left no doubt, who the fastest woman in the 800 Meter was this season, winning the event in a time of 2:05.75. In the process she set a new NCAA Division III Indoor Championship Record, breaking a 35-year old record previously held by Genesia Eddins of U Mass-Boston in a time of 2:06.89 (1987).
Seeland won the event by more than four seconds, cruising to her third National Title in the event after winning the 800 Meter Outdoor titles in 2019 and 2021. Including the 2019 women's soccer team National Championship, Seeland now has four National Championships to her name, despite missing numerous Championship opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seeland joins Kristen Bates as the only other Messiah student-athlete with three individual National Championships in their careers.
After winning the 800 Meter National Championship, Seeland turned her attention to the 3000 Meter. In a loaded field, Seeland earned her second All-American honor in an hour with a seventh-place finish with a time of 9:47.41, breaking both the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) and Messiah records in the process.
Individually, Seeland earned 12 team points, currently placing the Falcons in 18th place overall in the team standings.
Esther Seeland - 800 Meter National Champion – 2:05.75
Coming in as the favorite to the 800 Meter, Seeland did not disappoint. She led from the start and ran nearly a flawless race to win the event going away with a time of 2:05.75. In the eight-runner field, she turned in the fastest lap on every trip around the 200-meter track.
For the entirety of the event, it was Seeland and Washington University's Emma Kelley leading in the first two spots. Her first split was a 30.22, just over four tenths of a second ahead of Kelley. At the midpoint, Seeland pushed that lead to a little over a second with a second lap split of 30.82. No other runner was within four seconds of Seeland.
In the second half of the race, Seeland really started putting separation between herself, Kelley, and the rest of the field. A third lap split of 32.29 gave Seeland a 2.61 second lead on Kelley. She then turned in a mark of 32.43 on the final lap to win the event by just over four seconds against Kelley and her time of 2:09.77.
Outside of Seeland's 2:05.75 and Kelley's 2:09.77, no other runner went under 2:12.5.
With her victory, Seeland now owns three individual National Championships in track and field. Previously, she won the 800 Meter Outdoor Titles in 2019 and 2021. Additionally, she was a member of the Messiah women's soccer 2019 National Championship.
With Seeland's third National Crown, the Messiah track and field program has now claimed nine individual National Championships with seven coming on the women's side. As an Athletic Department, Messiah has claimed 33 National Championships with all 33 coming since 2000. The Falcons have earned 19 team titles and 14 individual championships.
Esther Seeland – 3000 Meter – Seventh Place – 9:47.41
Just a half hour after winning the 800 Meter National Championship, Seeland claimed her second All-American honor of the weekend, finishing the 3000 Meter in seventh place in a time of 9:47.41. Seeland ran a very consistent race, hanging between seventh and ninth for the first six laps. After the 1200 Meter mark, Seeland jumped into fifth. From there, Seeland hung with the front pack of eight runners for the bulk of the race.
Over the final few laps, the front pack stretched out a little with Seeland sitting in the middle of that pack. Down the final stretch, Loras' Kassie Parker pulled away with Wellesley's Ari Marks right on her hip in second. After St. Benedict's Fiona Smith took third, there were four runners that finished within two tenths of a second of each other. Evie Miller from Trine took fourth in a time of 9:47.26 and somehow two runners were between Miller and Seeland, who finished in 9:47.41.
With the top-eight finish, Seeland earns the sixth All-American honor of her career. She lowers her program record in the event, a mark she set earlier this season in a time of 9:54.15. Additionally, she sets a new Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) record in the 3000 Meter.
Team Competition
Thanks to her 10 points from winning the 800 Meter and her two points from the 3000 Meter, Seeland finished with 12 points on her own and gave Messiah an 18th-place finish in the team standings.
