EMPORIA, Kan. – The first-ever trip to the nationals for Minot State freshman Jasiah Hambira provided a successful finish to a stellar season.

Hambira cleared his opening height of 6 feet, 8 inches on Friday, but did not advance any further and finished 14^th in the nation to earn 2^nd Team All-American honors at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Emporia State.

An incredible finish to the year for Hambira who in his debut collegiate season won the NSIC Championship in the high jump earlier this month clearing 7 feet, 0.25 inches and set the all-time outdoor school record in the event at Minot State.

That after he set the NCAA Division II-era school record in the indoor high jump during the winter for the Beavers, as well.

"Naturally he was disappointed that he wasn't able to have a great performance on this big stage," Minot State coach Steven Schultz said, adding, "my message to him afterwards though was this, that this should not take away from what I consider to be a very successful season for him. Competing at the national championship as a freshman is an extraordinary accomplishment. I'm very proud of him for getting to this point, and I'm really excited to see what comes from the rest of his career."

Hambira was one of just four freshmen to qualify for nationals where four of the qualifiers also failed to clear the opening height of 6-8.

Jaivon Harrison from Grand Valley State won the national title in the event by virtue of fewer overall misses as he and Hamdi Ali from West Texas A&M both cleared 7-3.25 in Friday's competition.

Hambira becomes Minot State's fifth NCAA track and field All-American, joining Leif Nelson who was an All-American in 2022 and 2023, Cody Schmidt in 2015, and Kirk Capdeville in 2014.