BOSTON, Mass. – At the second day of the 2024 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, senior distance runner Maia Ramsden moved one step closer to a national championship, as the New Zealand international clinched a spot in tomorrow's mile final, taking first place in the second heat of the preliminaries with a time of 4:35.44.

The defending NCAA national champion in the outdoor 1500m run, Ramsden is one of 10 student-athletes to qualify for tomorrow's final at approximately 7:00 p.m. Ramsden looks to become a two-time national champion and the first female Harvard student-athlete to win an indoor NCAA national championship since 2018, when Gabby Thomas earned the 200m NCAA national championship.

In the preliminaries, Ramsden ran to a first-place finish in the second heat. With two laps to go, Ramsden overtook Washington's Chloe Foerster for the lead. The New Zealand international held off the pack to clinch a berth in tomorrow's final. Ramsden owns the fastest mile time in the nation this season, breaking the Ivy League record with a run of 4:24.83 at the 116^th Millrose Games.  

First-Year Sophia Gorriaran made her NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships debut on Friday night, competing in the 800m preliminaries. The Providence, R.I. native finished in 11^th with a time of 2:04.61.

The Crimson is enjoying a successful weekend at the TRACK at New Balance, as junior Kenneth Ikeji became the first male student-athlete since 1979 to lift an indoor NCAA national title, taking home first in the weight throw on Thursday night.

Ramsden ?? Mile Final

Maia Ramsden punches her ticket to tomorrow's mile final with a first place finish in the second heat! ??

??https://t.co/QbWK6nKfcJ#GoCrimson pic.twitter.com/GlHMnqaDOC

— Harvard T&F | XC (@HarvardTFXC) March 9, 2024

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:

• Ramsden moves on to tomorrow's mile final after winning the second heat of the preliminaries.
• The New Zealand international looks to become the first female student-athlete to earn an indoor NCAA national title since 2018, when Gabby Thomas '19 took home the 200m championship.
• Ramsden owns the best mile time in the NCAA this indoor season, running a 4:24.83 at the 116^th Millrose Games.

Our second day of the NCAA Indoor Championships is in the books ??

Back at it tomorrow for the final day of action at the TRACK ??#GoCrimson pic.twitter.com/sRnE8i8rR2

— Harvard T&F | XC (@HarvardTFXC) March 9, 2024

UP NEXT:

Three Harvard student-athletes will compete at the final day of the 2024 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. First-Year Tito Alofe kicks-off the day in the men's high jump at 1:00 p.m., followed by junior Daniel Falode in the men's triple jump at 3:30 p.m. Ramsden runs in a pair of distance events tomorrow, looking to take home hardware in the mile and the 3000m on Saturday night. All the action is streaming live on ESPN+.

For complete coverage of Harvard Track & Field, follow us on Twitter (@HarvardTFXC) and Instagram (@harvardtfxc).