Day one of the 2017 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois were huge success for the Aurora University men's track and field representatives, juniors Brandon Pichen and Bobby Cooks.

Cooks participated in the 60 meter hurdles and hurdled a time of 7.90 in heat 1. With his time, the fastest out of the 15 competitors at the NCAA Championships, Cooks will run for the NCAA National Championship in the event on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 1:45 p.m. His time of 7.90 set new records for AU, the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference and a facility record at North Central. Finishing in the top eight and in the finals makes Cooks an All-American in the 60 meter hurdles for the third consecutive season. He was the national runner-up in 2015 and fourth in 2016.

Pichen followed the lead of Cooks and took on the field of 15 in the weight throw. Pichen set the tone for the meet in his second throw, hurling a 19.40 distance (63'7.75") which set a new AU and NACC record in the process. His mark would hold up and place him second overall and have him earn All-American honors as the national runner-up. He joined his teammate Cooks and the 1990 AU baseball team as the best finishing Spartan team or individuals at an NCAA Championship.

Looking forward to day two, junior shot put thrower Ryan Njegovan will join the AU men in making his first trip to the Division III Indoor Championships. He enters the shot put with the top throw among Division III throwers at 59'5.5" / 18.12m. His marks are an AU and Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference record which he set at the Margaret Bradley Invitational on February 18. Njegovan and the shot put takes place at 12:00 p.m.

Following the performance by Pichen, the Spartan men are tied for eighth in the meet as a team with eight points and will add more with the events tomorrow.

To watch Cooks in the 60 meter hurdle final at 1:45 p.m. and or Njegovan in the shot put at 12:00 p.m. - WATCH HERE.