DMR Wins First Indoor NCAA Title in Program History, Nubbe Finishes Fourth and Appleton Qualifies to Mile Final at NCAA Indoor Championships

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Virginia men’s distance medley relay (DMR) team of Wes Porter, Alex Sherman, Conor Murphy and Gary Martin won the first NCAA title in the indoor DMR in program history while Jeremiah Nubbe earned All-American honors in the men’s weight throw and Margot Appleton advanced to the women’s mile final on Friday (March 14) at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Va.

In the final event of the day, the quartet of Wes Porter, Alex Sherman, Conor Murphy and Gary Martin ran their way to the top of the podium in the men’s DMR breaking the meet record and facility record crossing the line in 9:15.12. The previous meet record stood at 9:19.98 by Oregon in 2021 while the previous facility record of 9:42.81 was recorded by Wingate in 2023. The Cavaliers already own the collegiate record at 9:14.19 from the Arkansas Qualifier earlier this the season.

Leading things off for the Cavaliers was Porter on the opening 1200-meter leg. Porter completed the six lap carry in 2:52.97 before passing the baton to Sherman on the 400-meter leg. Sherman split 46.54 to hand the baton off to Murphy in prime position. Murphy remained in the front pack of runners clocking 1:47.50 for 800-meters. On the anchor leg was none other than Martin, who ran a blistering 3:48.12 for 1600-meters. With two laps to go, Martin was on the heels of North Carolina’s Ethan Strand and ready to make a move. Blowing past the collegiate record holder in the mile in the final stages of the race, Martin put a gap on the field to finish two seconds ahead of the Tar Heels.

This marks the first NCAA Indoor DMR title in program history and the first indoor National champion since Jordan Scott won the men’s triple jump in 2019. The quartet brings home just the fifth NCAA indoor title in program history, etching their names in the history books alongside Paul Ereng (800m, 1989), Robby Andrews (800m, 2010), Henry Wynne (Mile, 2016) and Scott.

Capping off an impressive first season as a Cavalier, Jeremiah Nubbe earned his spot on the podium in the men’s weight throw. Nubbe launched one out 24.17m/79-3.75 for a new personal best on his second throw in the competition. His mark was good for fourth place and first team All-American honors. Nubbe also took down his own Virginia school record set earlier this season at the Virginia Tech Invitational (23.94m/78-6.5). Despite fouling his third throw of six, all of Nubbe’s marks were farther than 23 meters. The junior is the first All-American in the men’s weight throw since Jordan Young’s third place finish in 2017.

In the women’s mile prelim, Margot Appleton qualified to her third consecutive NCAA Indoor mile final. Appleton won the first heat of two, crossing the line in 4:34.97. While her time ranks fifth between the two heats, Appleton’s first place finish earned her an automatic qualification to the final. The championship race is set to take place on Saturday at 3 p.m. when Appleton will look to better her finish from the previous two seasons. The senior finished fifth just a season ago after finishing in fourth place in 2023.

Appleton will enter a field of 10 runners tomorrow in the finals of the women’s mile where an eighth-place finish or better will garner first team All-American honors. Shortly after the mile, Appleton will toe the line in a strong women’s 3000-meter field. On the men’s side, Martin and Strand are set to have a rematch in the men’s 3000-meter race.

Not far from Charlottesville, the Virginia Beach Sports Complex was full of orange and blue for which Martin noted felt like a home meet. “It was loud and right behind us we have a big group of UVA guys, and I could hear them on the back stretch so we got a little bit of a home crowd advantage and all of us coming in we could definitely feel the energy.”

Up Next:
Appleton is set to compete in the women’s mile final at 3 p.m. as well as the women’s 3000-meters at 4 p.m. tomorrow (March 15). Martin will be back in action on the track in the men’s 3000-meters which is set to go off at 7 p.m. Saturday.