College of Saint Benedict junior distance runner Fiona Smith looks to continue her string of success in national competition at this week’s NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, while a trio of Saint John’s University athletes are contenders for All-American honors as well.

Competition begins Thursday (May 25) and runs through Saturday (May 27) at the Polisseni Track and Field Complex at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York.

Smith will compete in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs. The women’s 10,000 final is scheduled for 8:50 p.m. (CDT) Thursday while the 5,000 final is scheduled for 3:25 p.m. Saturday.

She won NCAA Division III indoor national titles in both the 3,000 and 5,000 this past March and finished second overall at the Division III national cross country meet last fall. In fact, dating back to the Division III outdoor national meet a year ago, she has now finished in the top four in each of her past five races at the national level.

Smith enters this week’s meet ranked second in both the 5,000 and 10,000. Her seed times in the 5,000 (16 minutes and five seconds) and 10,000 (33:23) trail only those of Loras senior Kassie Parker, who is the top seed in both events (15:37 and 32:36).

Meanwhile, three Saint John’s athletes have also qualified for the national field led by senior Kevin Arthur in both the 100- and 200-meter dash. Arthur is making his third consecutive trip to the outdoor national meet, having competed in both the 100 and as part of the Johnnies’ 4x100 relay team the past two seasons. He enters this week’s meet No. 9 in the 200 (21.15 seconds) and No. 11 in the 100 (10.46).

Preliminary competition in the men’s 200 is scheduled to begin at 6:05 p.m. Thursday. Preliminary competition in the 100 is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday. The finals in the men’s 100 are set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The finals in the 200 are scheduled for 2:40 p.m. Saturday.

Senior Brett Hague returns to nationals in the javelin for the second consecutive year, having finished fourth as a junior a year ago. His best throw of 68.10 meters this season ranks him third overall. Wisconsin-Platteville sophomore Will Lawrence is the top seed with a throw of 69.85.

Prelims and finals in the men’s javelin are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Junior Carter Grove makes his first nationals appearance in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He enters the meet ranked No. 11 with a time of 8:59.39. Preliminary competition in the event is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Thursday. The finals are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

The top eight finishers in each men’s and women’s event earn All-American honors.

For a complete schedule of events, click here.

To watch live coverage of the meet, click here.