Final Results

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Saint John's senior Jackson McDowell (Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe) finished second in the high jump to lead three Johnnie All-Americans on the final day of the 2025 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships held Saturday, March 15, at the Golisano Training Center.

McDowell broke his own program record by clearing 2.14 meters (7-0 ¼) – which ties him for the 21st-best in Division III indoor history - on his second attempt to finish second in the high jump. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Jackson Bliey cleared 2.14 on his first attempt and secured the national title by doing the same with the bar at 2.17. He passed at 2.20 meters and could not get eclipse the height at 2.23.

The second-place finish was the best in any event by a Johnnie at the NCAA Indoor Championships, topping a trio of third-place finishes from Dean Daninger '88 in the 1987 shot put and Eric Buss '09 in the triple jump in both 2008 and 2009.

An outdoor All-American in the event with an eighth-place finish last May, McDowell won his second MIAC title in the high jump, and first indoors, with a then-school-record height of 2.11 meters Feb. 28 in Collegeville. 

SJU's two heptathletes, seniors Max Lelwica (Brainerd, Minn.) and Anthony Thurk (St. Bonifacius, Minn./Waconia), earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) second-team All-America honors in ninth and 14th places, respectively. The USTFCCCA added the All-America second team in 2024 to include individuals placed ninth through 16th, as well as members of ninth- and 10th-place relays.

Lelwica finish ninth with 4,974 points, 24 points from eighth place (4,998) and first-team All-America recognition. He started the final day of competition in 15th out of 20 competitors with 2,686 points, just 64 behind Thurk in 10th. Lelwica claimed 10th in the 60-meter hurdles (8.63) and jumped from 15th to ninth with a sixth-place mark of 4.20 meters (tying a personal best) in the pole vault and held steady with a third-place time of 2:48.02 in the 1,000 meters. He recorded a score of 5,063 points to win the heptathlon last weekend (March 7-8) at Wartburg (Iowa).

Lelwica's Heptathlon
60-meter dash: 18th (7.42)
Long jump: 16th (6.33 meters)
Shot put: Fourth (12.34 meters)
High jump: 11th (1.84 meters)
60-meter hurdles: 10th (8.63)
Pole vault: Sixth (4.20 meters) *Tied Personal Best
1,000 meters: Third (2:48.02)

Thurk tied with Reid Pakkebier of Central (Iowa) for 13th with 4,806 points, only eight from 11th place (4,814), but lost the tie-breaker (highest point total in a single heptathlon event). He recorded Division III's 15th-best heptathlon score of the regular season with 4,923 points to win the MIAC heptathlon Feb. 27-28.

Thurk's Heptathlon
60-meter dash: 20th (7.47)
Long jump: 14th (6.41 meters)
Shot put: First (12.48 meters) *Personal Best
High jump: Seventh (1.90 meters)
60-meter hurdles: 17th (8.87) *Personal Best
Pole vault: 11th (3.90 meters)
1,000 meters: 13th (2:57.28)

The Johnnies open their outdoor schedule with the CSB/SJU Optimistic Invitational in two weeks at 2 p.m. Friday, March 28, in Clemens Stadium.