MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Simon Heys kicked off the Quakers time at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships Thursday night with a bang.
Heys battled the humid conditions and ran a time of 30:47.56 to finish in third place in the 10,000-meter run.
For most of the race, Heys was anywhere between 14th and sixth place. However, with just a few laps to go, he found himself just off the lead in third place. He tried to make a push to take the lead but Spencer Moon of Simpson College and Tyler Schermerhorn of Wartburg College ran away with the race, though, as Moon won in 30:41.91 and Schermerhorn took second at 30:45.53.
This was the second All-America honor for Heys in the 10k during his time at Wilmington and sixth All-America honor overall — three in cross country, two in outdoor track and field and one during indoor track and field season.
“I was just trying to be patient and cover as many moves as possible,” the Wilmington High School graduate said. “I gave myself a shot at the end to try and be there in the top three, and give myself a shot to win, you know fell a little short, but I can’t be anymore happy with what I was able to do today.”
Heys will be back on the track for the 5,000 meters Saturday. Another WHS grad, Brady Vilvens, takes center stage for the Quakers at 4 p.m. this afternoon in the high jump. Vilvens was co-national champion in the high jump last season.
