Adding his name to Central’s illustrious roster of multi-event phenoms, sophomore Eric Larson of Waverly raced to the decathlon title at the NCAA Division III track and field championships.
It’s the third straight year that a Dutch athlete has captured the national decathlon crown and the fifth time since 2001. Larson, who competed in his first decathlon just a year earlier, completed a 2013 sweep, also winning the NCAA indoor heptathlon championship. He was fifth in the outdoor decathlon as a freshman. It’s the 19th time that a Central athlete has earned all-America distinction in the decathlon. The Dutch have claimed eight men’s and women’s outdoor multi-event titles and 31 individual NCAA championships in all sports.
Larson, an economics major, later earned second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as well.
A young Central men’s squad tied for 22nd in the Division III team standings. After four straight Iowa Conference championships, the Dutch were second this year. The Central women were third and the teams combined to win 10 individual league titles. Sophomore Eli Horton swept the 1,500 and 5,000 meters.
Senior Felicia Coleman capped an outstanding career with an appearance at the NCAA women’s meet, but was slowed by injury. Earlier, she claimed the 100- and 200-meter dash titles at the conference meet while also helping the 4×100- and 4×400-meter relay units place. Coleman was a two-time team MVP. She was named league women’s track performer of the week eight times in her Central career.
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