The Emory University track & field teams closed out the 2023 outdoor season Saturday afternoon with several All-America performances on the final day of the NCAA Championships at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York.
Senior Annika Urban headlined the Eagles on the final day of the season as she capped off her historic Emory career by capturing the national championship in the 1500m Run. Urban hung on the outside before making her move to the front of the pack around the turn heading into the bell lap. Urban withheld a late charge from UChicago's Maddie Kelly on the home stretch before kicking into gear to claim the national title with a time of 4:22.16.
Urban is the first athlete in Emory track and field history to win a national championship in both the indoor and outdoor seasons after winning the indoor mile earlier this year and is the fourth athlete to win a national title in Emory women's outdoor track & field history, joining Danielle LeSure (Hammer Throw in 2001 and 2002), Sarah Byrd (Steeplechase in 2002) and Dilys Osei (400m Hurdles in 2019).
Urban's national championship highlighted an outstanding all-around afternoon for the Eagles as Emory garnered All-America acclaim in four additional events.
The day started with the 4x100m Relay where the Eagles reached the podium in both finals. In the men's race, the Eagles' group of sophomore Sam Ryba, senior Thomas Davis, freshman Henry Brandstadter and sophomore Jackson Price became the first 4x100m All-Americans for Emory men's track & field since 2004 as they finished seventh at 41.34.
Shortly after junior Clementine Bodus and sophomores Dashiel Tao Harris, Kaya Binetti and Audrey Johnson etched their names in the program record book, throwing down a school record time of 46.19 to secure a fifth place finish.
Price hit the track again in the finals of 200m Dash and earned his first career individual All-American honor with an eighth place finish at 21.66.
Urban closed out the day for the Eagles, taking part in a stacked final in the 5000m that featured three of the fastest women in Division III history in the event with Urban, Loras' Kassie Parker and St. Bendict's Fiona Smith. Urban was out in front at the start of the race, hanging with Parker and Smith before settling into the second group for the back half of the race. She completed the tough 1500m and 5000m double with a fifth place showing, crossing at 16:46.60 for her fifth track All-American honor of her storied career.