BRADENTON, Florida — Cedarville University’s Carsyn Koch won her second consecutive 800 meter title in the NCAA Division II Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship at the IMG Academy on Saturday, according to a news release from the school.
The Washburn High School graduate made it back-to-back trophies with a time of 2 minutes, 5.21 seconds, which ties the sixth-fastest mark in school history.
“It was a good race. I just went out there to go right to the front to make sure I got a good split at the 400,” Koch said in the release. “It was a little slow, but it was what I needed to get through the next 400 and finish strong.
“It feels good to get one more title and to have my coach hand me the trophy as well as have [teammates] Olivia [Esbenshade] and Dan [Michalski] there. It’s always a good experience.”
The junior has dominated the outdoor 800 meters since coming on the scene with an NCAA runner-up finish in 2015. She possesses four of the top six times in Division II history including the No. 1 effort of 2:02.39.
Koch has won the last two NCAA indoor 800 meter titles and was a 2017 indoor All-American in the distance medley relay.
She was also a qualifier in the 800 meters in the U.S. Olympic Trials last summer and placed fifth in her heat in Eugene, Oregon.
During her freshman year at Wasbhurn, Koch was a Class C cross-country individual state champion and part of a Class D state title team in basketball.
She went on to capture four straight individual cross-country state titles and helped the Beavers win the 2012 Class C team crown
Koch also played soccer for three autumns and as a senior helped Washburn win the 2013 Class D state championship.
She also thrived on the basketball court, helping Washburn to four consecutive Class D state championships between 2011 and 2014.