Johnson City, Tenn. -- The Notre Dame Track & Field team posted a great showing at the NAIA National Championships, producing one national champion, and set a program record in the process. (Results)

On the second day of events, Notre Dame senior race walker #Michael Mannozzi# won the national championship in the 3,000-Meter Race Walk. Mannozzi finished with a time of 13.19.50, which was nearly seven seconds better than the second place finisher. The senior from Youngstown, Ohio, became the first Track & Field athlete to win a national championship in Notre Dame history. Mannozzi also became the third Notre Dame athlete in the history of the school to win a national championship of any kind. 

Last year, Mannozzi was an All-American in the 3,000-Meter, finishing sixth at Johnson City, Tenn., in the 2009 Indoor Championships. He finished eighth in the 5,000-Meter Race Walk in the 2009 Outdoor Championships. Also on the men's side, #Tim Robinson# finished 21st in the Shot Put, with a toss of 14.83-meters (48-08.00). 

“This was a something that we all knew was possible but at the beginning of season we all agreed to not make it the only focus of the season,” said Head Coach Rico Franklin. “Mike is the hardest working person I know and he truly earned his national championship. We have a saying of "NBU" (Nothing Breaks Us)with our team and Mike truly lives up to it. I am proud of him and all our athletes that competed.”

For the women, #Tiffany Tucker# set the Notre Dame record in the 60-Meter High Hurdles with a time of 8.95 seconds, finishing seventh overall, and just missed qualifying for the final round. #Jessica Thomas# ran a 9.25 in the same event, finishing 15th overall. #Noelle Johnson# finished 17th in the Triple Jump, with a leap of 10.95-meters (35-11.25). #Samantha Murphy#'s 12.2-meter (39-05.25) toss in the Shot Put placed her 26th overall. 

The weekend's events capped a successful 2010 Indoor Track & Field season, a season in which 11 school records were broken. On the men's side, seven individual school records were snapped, and one team record was broken as well. For the women, two individual records were broken, and they set a new team record in the 4x200-Meter Relay. Notre Dame had 14 athletes qualify for nationals in 13 events.

The National Championships brought NDC's indoor season to an end, but the Falcons will begin their Outdoor Track & Field season on Saturday, March 20, in Cincinnati at the Early Bird Relays.