Robertson and Ackermann Punch Tickets to Nationals

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Boise State track and field athletes Kaiya Robertson and Hanna Ackermann each qualified for the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Robertson secured her spot with a 12th-place finish in the 1,500-meters, while Ackermann claimed sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to punch their tickets to Eugene, Oregon.

Robertson advanced to the quarterfinals of the 1,500m by placing seventh in the first round. She then ran a 4:11.38 in the quarterfinals to secure the final qualifying spot, finishing 12th overall. She is the first female Bronco since Alexis Fuller in 2019 to qualify for nationals in the event.

Ackermann, who ranked 14th in the West region entering the meet, set a near five-second personal best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Her time of 9:54.40 earned her third in her heat and sixth overall out of 47 competitors.

Tom Graham-Marr posted a strong performance in the first round of the men's 1,500m, taking fourth to qualify for the next round. In the quarterfinals, Graham-Marr ran a 3:41.63 to finish ninth, just outside the qualifying spots for nationals.

Making his NCAA West first-round debut, Joe Hudson ran a time of 29:50.29 in the 10,000 meters, finishing 41st overall. Hudson wraps up the season as one-of-two Broncos to compete in both the NCAA West outdoor first round and the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.

In the women's 800 meters, Janiah Brown secured a 24th-place finish in the first round, earning the final spot to the next round, where she finished in the same position.

Austen Apperson finished 28th in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:00.11, placing 21 spots ahead of his pre-meet ranking. Abby Kendrick made her NCAA West Region debut in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, and finished 26th overall.

Notables:

This marks the first time since 2021 that Boise State will have multiple athletes competing at nationals. It's also the first time since 2016 that both the men's and women's teams will be represented at the same championship meet.
Kaiya Robertson becomes the first woman to qualify for nationals in the 1,500m since Alexis Fuller in 2019.
Hanna Ackermann is the first woman to qualify for nationals in the 3,000m steeplechase since Allie Ostrander in 2019, who went on to win the national title.
Ackerman's time of 9:54.40 is the third fastest in school history, improving her previous best.
Tom Graham-Marr finished 18 places ahead of his ranking entering the meet. Similarly, Ackermann finished eight places ahead, and Apperson finished 28 places ahead.
Graham-Marr's ninth-place finish in the men's 1,500m was the best of any Bronco at the NCAA West first round since David Elliot's second-place finish in 2015.
Robertson will compete in her second national race of her junior year, having finished 53rd at the 2024 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.

What's Next

Hanna Ackermann, Landon Helms and Kaiya Robertson will compete at the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 11-14.

Boise State Results
Women –
1,500m First Round | 7. Kaiya Robertson – 4:16.06
1,500m Quarterfinals | 12. Kaiya Robertson – 4:11.38
800m First Round | 24. Janiah Brown – 2:06.19
800m Quarterfinals | 24. Janiah Brown – 2:15.66
3,000m Steeplechase Quarterfinals | 6. Hanna Ackermann – 9:54.40, 26. Abby Kendrick – 10:22.20

Men –
1,500m First Round | 4. Tom Graham-Marr – 3:44.98
1,500m Quarterfinals | 9. Tom Graham-Marr – 3:41.63
10,000m Semifinal | 41. Joe Hudson – 29:50.29
3,000m Steeplechase Quarterfinals | 28. Austen Apperson – 9:00.11

Players Mentioned

Hanna Ackermann

Austen Apperson

Janiah Brown

Tom Graham-Marr

Landon Helms

Joe Hudson

Abby Kendrick

Kaiya Robertson

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