WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Carleton College women's track & field team saw both Katherine Geist (So./Crookston, Minn./Crookston) and Clara Mayfield (Jr./Manhattan, Kan./Manhattan) qualify for the finals of the mile run on day one of the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships.
 
The top four racers from each of the two heats automatically advanced to the event final as well as two next best times. Carleton and Baldwin Wallace College were the only schools to advance two runners to the 10-person final on Saturday at the JDL Fast Track.
 
Mayfield raced in the opening heat and took second with a time of 4:58.79. That was the second-fastest time on the day. Geist ran in the other heat and took third place in her race with a time of 5:01.76.
 
The first heat was contested at a faster pace as the top seven runners in that race finished faster than the top runner from the second heat.
 
"Each prelim was very different in regards to structure and where Clara and Katherine positioned themselves in the pack," said Carleton head coach Donna Ricks. "They both did a great job getting off the line and responding to situation around them and responding to the moves of the competitors within their race. They demonstrated just how race savvy and strong of runners they are."
 
Up Next for the Knights
The finals of the mile run will be held at 2:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. CT. Mayfield will then return to the track for the finals of the 3000-meter run two hours later.