On the opening day of the 2017 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, Aurora University junior discus thrower Ryan Njegovan set AU history once again. He followed up his becoming the first individual or team at AU to win a NCAA Division III National Championship at the Indoor Championship with an Outdoor Championship in the discus.

Njegovan entered the discus with the top throw among Division III throwers and did not disappoint in the tough weather conditions as the competitors battled inclement weather all day. H tossed what would be the winning distance in his first attempt, 51.56 meters / 169' 2". He then held on over the next four rounds of throws and as he walked up for the sixth and final attempt, he had clinched the NCAA Championship in the discus. He earned All-American honors as well with his finish.

The NCAA title for Njegovan becomes the second for an AU team or individual with Njegovan carrying both championship torches. AU had previous runner-up finishes coming from his teammates Brandon Pichen (2017 Indoor weight throw), Bobby Cooks (2015 indoor 60 meter hurdles) and the 1990 Spartan baseball team.

With the All-American and National Championship performance by Njegovan, the Spartan men are tied for second in the meet as a team with 10 points after day one. Next action for the Spartan men at the 2017 NCAA Division III Championships comes on Friday, May 26, 2017. Spartans Njegovan (shot put) will begin at 10:30 a.m. and Bobby Cooks (110 meter hurdles) at 2:30 p.m. (est).