LA CROSSE, Wisc. – Five Linfield College student-athletes are set to compete this week's NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Veteran's Memorial Field Sports Complex. All five Wildcats will see action on the first day of competition on Thursday with action continuing through Saturday.
Leading off for the 'Cats is Linfield's only male competitor, Keaton Wood. The freshman out of Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon, comes into the competition ranked 13th in Division III in the decathlong with 6,374 points.
 
"I am excited to be going to nationals," said Wood. "I'm looking forward to gaining some experience and improving my score."
 
Wood was somewhat hampered during the middle of season after he injured his index finger when his pole vault pole broke during an attempt. Wood said the finger is well enough to compete and is ready for Thursday and Friday's 10-event competition.
 
Olivia McDaniel is the only athlete who is making a return to the national championships and will represent the Wildcats in the women's pole vault. McDaniel finished 10th in the event in 2017 and comes into this year's meet with the eighth-highest mark in the championship field. McDaniel is the two-time Northwest Conference champion. The women's pole vault competition prelims begin Thursday at 10 a.m. Pacific time.
 
Dana Brooks is set to represent the 'Cats in the women's javelin. Brooks is currently ranked 21st in the country with her best toss of 134 feet, 9 inches. She returned to track & field after an all-conference season last spring as part of the Linfield women's lacrosse team. Brooks was a three-time top-five finisher in the javelin at the OSAA Class 3A state championships while at Pleasant Hill High School. The javelin prelims begin at 2 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday.
 
Linfield's final two competitors are seniors Kaelia Neal and Emma Knudson in the women's 1,500 meter run. Knudson is the current school record holder in 1,500. Her time of 4:31.54 ranks seventh among the championship field.
 
"My dream was to make it to nationals in cross country and then (compete at the NCAA meet) in the 10,000 meters this spring," said Knudson.
 
Neither of those dreams materialized but when Neal, her best friend and roommate, paced her for three laps in last week's "Last Chance Meet," Knudson gave an all-out performance that punched her ticket to the national championships.
 
Neal set the 1,500 record earlier this spring and comes into the competition with the 12th-fastest time.
 
"It's great to be able to go together for one last time," said Neal of having Knudson accompany her to nationals. "It's super special."
 
The two are entered in separate preliminary heats with Neal in the first section and Knudson in the second. Prelims are Thursday 12:45 p.m. PDT. They'd like to both qualify for the finals which are scheduled for Saturday. The  pair's ultimate goal is to finish among the top eight.