By: Madelyn Stephen, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Missouri S&T closed out competition Saturday at the 2026 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships with a historic performance highlighted by Owen Fraser (Kirksville, MO/Kirksville) capturing the national championship in the shot put. The Miners finished 12th in the final team standings, marking the highest team finish in program history at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships.
Fraser delivered the championship performance with a throw of 19.25 meters, securing the national title and becoming the first national champion in the shot put and the first indoor national champion in Missouri S&T program history. The Miner thrower also placed sixth in the weight throw earlier in the meet, earning First Team All-America honors in both events.
Missouri S&T added another podium finish on the track as Henry Born (Lake Quivira, KS/Shawnee Mission Northwest) placed seventh in the 3000 meters
with a time of 7:59.45, earning First Team All-America honors with the top-eight finish.
In the heptathlon, Otto Knittel (Spring Hill, KS/Spring Hill) finished 10th overall with 5,206 points after completing the final three events on Saturday. Knittel placed seventh in the 60-meter hurdles (8.45), 10th in the pole vault (4.15m), and second in the 1000 meters with a time of
2:45.17 to close out the competition.
Missouri S&T's distance medley relay team of Andrew Bacon (Webster Groves, MO/Webster Groves), Otto Knittel (Spring Hill, KS/Spring Hill), Jack Janovick (Spring Hill, KS/Spring Hill), and Henry Born (Lake Quivira, KS/Shawnee Mission Northwest) also earned First Team All-America honors with their sixth-place national finish on Friday, the highest finish in program history for the event.
First Team All-America Honors
- Owen Fraser (Kirksville, MO/Kirksville) – Shot Put, Weight Throw
- Henry Born (Lake Quivira, KS/Shawnee Mission Northwest) – 3000m, Distance Medley Relay
- Andrew Bacon (Webster Groves, MO/Webster Groves) - Distance Medley Relay
- Otto Knittel (Spring Hill, KS/Spring Hill) - Distance Medley Relay
- Jack Janovick (Spring Hill, KS/Spring Hill) - Distance Medley Relay
Second Team All-America Honors
Missouri S&T concluded the championships with multiple All-America performances, a historic national title, and the best team finish in program history, highlighting one of the most successful NCAA Indoor Championship appearances ever for the Miners.
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