PITTSBURG, Kansas — Cedarville (Ohio) University sophomore Carsyn Koch, a former Washburn District High School standout athlete, captured a national championship in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field championships Saturday night at Pittsburg State’s Robert W. Plaster Center.
Koch finished in a meet-record time of 2 minutes, 5.12 second, beating second-place finisher Lynelle Decker of Seattle Pacific by over two seconds. Fellan Fergurson of Johnson C. Smith finished third in 2:07.99 in a field of eight competitors.
Koch’s winning time broke the record of 2:05.75 set by Grand Valley State’s Steph Kuhlman in 2003.
Koch advanced to the final after winning her prelim heat earlier in the day with a time of 2:09.79, the fourth fastest time for the final.
Last spring, Koch became Cedarville’s first woman NCAA All-American when she finished second in the 800 in the Div. II national outdoor meet.
Koch enjoyed one of the most successful and well-rounded athletic careers at Washburn. She competed in five different sports including basketball, soccer, cross country, outdoor track and soccer.
From 2010-2014, Koch claimed four Class C cross country individual state championships and one Class C team title (2012). She played on four consecutive Class D basketball state title teams (2011-2014) and helped Washburn win the school’s first girls soccer state crown in 2013.