MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's track & field program is set up for a busy weekend at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships with three individuals qualifying in four events March 13-14 at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.
 
Senior Isaac vanWestrienen, an eight-time track qualifier, is one of the top medal contenders in the men's 5000- and 3000-meter races. The three-time all-American competes in the 5000 at 5:05 p.m. Friday, and the 3000 at 5:50 p.m. Saturday.
 
Junior Jake Bach, a first-time track qualifier, earned a berth in the men's mile. The prelims for the 20-man field are 2:50 p.m. Friday. The top four finishers in each of the two heats plus the next two fastest times advance to Saturday's final at 4:10 p.m.
 
Senior Ava Claussen-Tubbs also makes her NCAA debut in the women's 800, with three prelims heats starting at 3:45 p.m. Friday. Eight individuals advance to the 800 final at 4:50 p.m. Saturday.
 
Cornell's four event entries are the most at NCAA indoors since 2017, when the Rams qualified five events. Fans can follow live results throughout the Championships.
 
VanWestrienen carries the second-fastest seed time (7:58.25) in the 3000, where he finished 15th a year ago. Rowan's Seth Clevenger, an Iowa State transfer, holds the top qualifying mark of 7:54.87.
 
This is vanWestrienen's third NCAA indoor appearance in the 3000. The field features seven returning qualifiers, including three 2025 all-Americans in Lynchburg's Chasen Hunt (third), UW-La Crosse's Aidan Matthai (seventh) and Johns Hopkins' Emmanuel Leblond (eighth).  
 
VanWestrienen is also back in the 5000 for the third consecutive year. He earned a podium spot in 2025 by placing fifth. VanWestrienen  is seeded No. 8 in the 20-man field with a time of 14:07.22.
 
VanWestrienen is among three returning all-Americans in the 5000, joining Leblond (second) and Matthai (fourth). Clevenger is this year's race favorite with a qualifying mark of 13:32.09.
 
Bach is seeded 19th out of 20 qualifiers in the mile with a time of 4:08.40. Defending champion Nicholas Lyndaker owns the quickest qualifying mark of 3:59.42.
 
Claussen-Tubbs looks to continue her record-setting campaign in the 800. She's seeded 19th in the 20-woman field with a time of 2:12.20. SUNY Geneseo's Sierra Doody is the top qualifier in 2:08.82.