It was a great day for the Hillsdale College women's track and field team on Thursday at the 2025 NCAA DII Outdoor Championships in Pueblo, Colorado, as both of the Chargers' freshman distance phenoms put on huge performances to make their mark.

The highlight of the night was freshman Allison Kuzma, who was competing in just her second-ever collegiate 10,000m run under the bright lights of the Thunderdome. Undaunted by her inexperience, Kuzma ran possibly the greatest women's 10K race in Hillsdale College history, hanging stride for stride with two of the best 10K runners in NCAA DII history, Adams State's Brianna Robles and Colorado School of Mines' Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge, both seniors, for almost 9,000 meters before taking third in the nation in 35:02.50 and earning All-American honors.

Kuzma's time, when converted for the effects of altitude up in the Colorado mountains, is the equivalent of a sub-34 minute 10K, matching up favorably to Hillsdale's school record set by Chargers distance legend Kristina Galat in 2016 of 34:05.75. It certainly marks her as one of the top young distance runners in the division, with both competitors ahead of her graduating this May, and a potential national title contender in the future if she can stay healthy and keep improving over her career.

The Zeeland, Michigan native wasn't the only freshman standout to have a big performance for the Chargers on the national stage on Thursday, as fellow first-year runner Evyn Humphrey ran the fifth-fastest time of the day in the 1,500m run prelims, 4:29.39, to punch her ticket to the national championship race on Saturday and a shot at All-American honors of her own. Running in the first heat, Humphrey had a strong finish in what turned out to be the fastest of the two heats on the day to earn her spot and go one better from her performance in March at the Indoor Championships, where Humphrey qualified in the mile but failed to advance out of prelims. 

In the field, junior Averi Parker also put together a solid performance in the hammer throw, surpassing her top mark from her first trip in 2023 with a throw of 54.66 meters and taking 12th overall to earn second-team All-American honors. It's a good sign for Parker, who will look to become a first team All-American for the second time in her career and the first time outdoors when she competes in the shot put on Saturday.

Kuzma's All-American honor is a good start for the Chargers, but there's still much more to come on Saturday. Pole vaulters Tara Townsend and Kaylee Jackson will battle for All-American honors at 1 p.m. ET to kick off the day, Parker will compete in the shot put at 3:15 p.m. ET, and Humphrey will be back on the track looking to finish an excellent freshman season strong in the 1,500m final at 7:30 p.m. With several more shots at All-American status, Hillsdale could have a huge weekend out in Colorado.