Joseph’s Tingelstad wins NAIA national track title

Published 5:55 am Friday, March 1, 2024

BROOKINGS, S.D. — The College of Idaho women’s track and field teams wrapped up the indoor portion of its schedule at the 2024 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday, March 2. When it was all over in Brookings, South Dakota, the Yotes had their third individual national champion.

Ellyse Tingelstad, a graduate of Joseph Charter School, won the 5,000-meter run. She joins two other Yote champions: Hillary Holt (2013, mile and 3,000-meter run) and Molly Vitale-Sullivan (2018, 5,000 meters).

Tingelstad posted a winning time of 17:22.98, nearly four seconds ahead of her closest competitor.

Her efforts led the College of Idaho to a 10th-place team finish with 28 points to go along with four other Yotes who earned All-American honors at the meet.

“I consider running to be a gift and even more so, the opportunity to run on a national stage against so many other and hardworking gals,” Tingelstad said. “If it weren’t for my coach who believes so strongly in me, a family who loves and supports me like no other, the top girls in the nation to train alongside every day, and the guidance of God, this accomplishment would not have been possible.”

Said Dominic Bolin, coach of the College of Idaho women’s track and field teams: “A couple of years ago, I told her that she would win an individual national title during her time at C of I. She reminded me of that prediction after her race today. Jokingly she said, ‘can you predict the future?’ I definitely cannot, but you can tell when an athlete has ‘it’ and Elly is one of those athletes. … Day after day, month after month of putting in quality work, and today it all came to fruition. This individual title is just a small part of the amazing accomplishments she has had thus far at C of I. I am incredibly proud of her, and consider myself lucky to be a small part of her journey.”

College of Idaho senior Abbey Shirts secured All-American recognition with a runner-up performance in the 1,000-meter race with a time of 2:51.13. The next All-American was Sage Martin, who took fourth in the 3,000-meter with a time of 10:13.57.

Shirts and Martin ran the third and fourth legs of the distance medley relay along with Kahea Figueira and Charlotte Bowman, who earned All-American recognition with a fourth-place time of 12:00.41.

“I am thrilled with how our kids competed this week,” Bolin said. “We talked about managing all the highs and lows of a national meet, and we definitely got tested in that regard. We ended our indoor season on a good note and excited for outdoor.”