WAVERLY, Iowa – Carleton College's Gabe Nichols (Fy./Grove City, Penn./Grove City) likely punched his ticket to next week's NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships after winning the mile run at the Wartburg Qualifier, a last chance meet held to give student-athletes a final opportunity to improved their standing on the national leaderboard.
 
Nichols took first in his heat with a facility and meet-record time of 4:09.45, which when converted to a banked track time—to be consistent with where this year's national meet will be contested—converts to 4:06.31. That time currently ranks Nichols at No. 15 in the nation.
 
The top-20 declared individuals in each event will earns spots at the NCAA Championships to be held at March 10-11 at the Birmingham (AL) CrossPlex.