BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Augustana College freshman Leah Seivert earned All-America honors, while Paul Yak tabbed a ninth-place finish after day one at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday. 

"It was a great first day at the NCAA Championships," head coach Tracy Hellman said. "Anytime we can bring home All-American awards and get athletes into the finals is a great accomplishment."

Seivert took seventh place recording a personal-best time of 17:01.71 in the women's 5,000-meter race earning All-American status as a freshman.

Yak was the only male to make nationals to compete in the 5,000-meter race only to break his current school record clocking a time of 14:26.21 for a ninth-place finish.

Irene Almarcha earned a spot in the finals of the 60-meter hurdles recording a new school record of 8.57 to earning the eighth seed. Teammate Kayla Mescher made the finals in the 800-meter run with a qualifying time of 2:11.49.

"We are excited to compete tomorrow and finish out the championships with positive momentum," Hellman said.

Five more Vikings will compete on day two, beginning with NSIC pentathlon champion Bree Woelber who will compete in the women's pentathlon at 9 a.m.