Martin Finishes Runner-Up in 3000m to Lead Virginia Men to Best Team Finish in Program History at NCAA Indoor Championships

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field team concluded competition at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships as Gary Martin finished runner-up in the men’s 3000-meters to lead the Cavalier men to the best team finish in program history tying for sixth place with a total of 23 points on Saturday (March 15) at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Va.

Gary Martin, Jeremiah Nubbe and the men’s distance medley relay combined for a total of 23 points for the Virginia men to tie for sixth place alongside Miss State. This marks the best program finish in Virginia history and the first top 10 appearance since 2016 when the Cavaliers tied for eighth place with 18 points. Virginia notched the best finish by an ACC team and was one of two ACC teams in the top 10 along with North Carolina (T-8th).

Less than 24 hours after winning the first NCAA Indoor DMR title in program history, Martin ran his way to a runner-up performance in the men’s 3000-meters. Martin completed the 15-lap race in 7:52.69, finishing less than one second behind the leader. From the start, Martin brought up the rear of the 16-man field where he stayed before slowly moving his way up through the field. With two laps to go, Martin surged for the lead followed closely by none other than Ethan Strand of North Carolina. Unable to match Strand’s final kick but able to hold off Adam Spencer of Wisconsin, Martin crossed the line in second place to become the first Virginia man to earn All-American honors in the event in Virginia history.

In the women’s mile final, Appleton ran a strong race sticking with the front pack. With two laps to go, Appleton bumped shoulders with other runners in the race to swing wide and ultimately run extra distance. Unable to match the final kick of her competitors, Appleton crossed the line in 4:36.01 to finish 10^th and earn second team All-American honors. This marks Appleton’s third consecutive season earning All-American accolades in the event, after earning first team honors the previous two seasons.

In her fourth NCAA Indoor appearance, Appleton went after the ambitious mile/3000-meter double. With less than one hour from the start of the women’s mile final and the gun for the women’s 3000-meters, Appleton had to switch gears quickly. In a stacked 3000-meter field, she had her work cut out for her. As the front pack began to pick up the pace in the final stages of the race, Appleton tried to hold on and ultimately cross the line in 9:08.02 for 13^th place. The senior closed out the weekend earning two second team All-American accolades.

Friday Recap

• The men’s distance medley relay team of Wes Porter, Alex Sherman, Conor Murphy and Gary Martin won the first NCAA Indoor DMR title in program history clocking 9:15.12.
• The quartet’s time broke the NCAA meet record and Virginia Beach Sports Complex facility record. 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.
• Splits include Porter (2:52.97, 1200m), Sherman (46.54, 400m), Murphy (1:47.50, 800m) and Martin (3:48.12, 1600m).
• 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.
• Jeremiah Nubbe finished fourth in the men’s weight throw with a new personal best mark of 24.17m/79-3.75. 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 won the first heat of competition to earn an automatic bid to the final crossing the line in 4:34.97.