BRODHEAD — Brodhead native Kalena Riemer helped lead the Washington University in St. Louis women’s track and field team to a national championship in the Distance Medley Relay and an overall team win at the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, AL. The meet took place on March 13-14.

Riemer, a sophomore majoring in Environmental Engineering, ran the 800-meter leg of WashU’s Distance Medley Relay team alongside teammates Lauren Raley, Kylie Spytek, and Lucinda Laughlin. The quartet captured the NCAA Division III national title, breaking the Division III national record in the event with a time of 11:29.59 and delivering one of the championship meet’s standout performances.

The Distance Medley Relay consists of four legs totaling 4,000 meters: 1,200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, and 1,600 meters.

This marks the second All-America performance of Riemer’s collegiate career. As a freshman in 2025, she was also part of the WashU Distance Medley Relay team that placed sixth at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, earning All-America honors in her first collegiate season.

Riemer graduated from Brodhead High School in 2024, where she set the school record in the 800 meters before continuing her running career at Washington University.

The NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships bring together the nation’s top athletes, making the relay victory, record-setting performance and team victory a significant achievement for Riemer and her teammates.