Sainz de Rozas Punches Ticket to NCAA Championships
MEQUON, Wis. – On Sunday afternoon, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced the qualifiers for the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Track & Field Indoor Championships, and Ainara Sainz de Rozas was named as one of the qualifiers.
"Qualifying for nationals is an honor and proof of all the dedication, hard work, and support I've had from my coaches, family, and friends throughout the years," said Sainz de Rozas. "It truly is a dream come true, and I'm so excited to represent everything I have worked for on the biggest stage."
Sainz de Rozas, a junior from Madrid, Spain, will make her first appearance at the NCAA Track & Field Indoor Championships. Earlier this year, she also qualified for the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championships.
Her qualification for the national meet came after an outstanding performance at the Wartburg Final Qualifier, where she claimed first place in the 5000-meter run with a time of 16:58.81, shattering the meet record. At the time of her finish, her time ranked 13th in NCAA Division III.
With her achievement, Sainz de Rozas became the first Falcon since 2016 to qualify for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships. That year, Nicole Larson and Airel Kinlow both earned spots in the Pole Vault and 60-meter dash, respectively, with Larson ultimately achieving All-American status.
Additionally, Sainz de Rozas is only the second Falcon in program history to qualify for nationals in the 5000-meter. Amanda Kuca accomplished the same feat in both the 2005 and 2006 seasons, earning All-American honors in each of those years.
Sainz de Rozas will aim to continue her success at the national meet, which will take place on March 14-15 at the Golisano Training Center in Pittsford, New York. The women's 5000-meter event is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. on Friday, March 14.
