INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — 

United States Coast Guard Academy track & field cadet-athletes Allie Wildsmith (Bainbridge Island, Wash.), Ian Naff (Arlington, Va.) and Claire Semerod (Centennial, Colo.) have been selected as participants in the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships. Invited athletes were announced on Sunday, March 8th, by the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Track & Field and Cross Country Committee.

Wildsmith, a senior high jumper, will be making her third trip to Indoor Nationals, entering this season's championship as the reigning titleholder. Wildsmith earned All-America status in her first Nationals appearance as a sophomore, clearing 1.68 meters (5' 6") for seventh place. At least year's meet in Rochester, New York, she took home her first national title after going clear-for-clear with runner-up Serena McNeally from Centre College before finally securing the win at 1.77 meters (5'9.75"). Wildsmith is also the reigning national champion in outdoor high jump.

Naff, a junior sprinter, will make his Nationals debut by competing in the 400 meters. Naff has been one of USCGA's top sprinters and a regional powerhouse since his freshman year, earning All-New England Division III (NED3) status three times in the 400m (2024-26) and twice in the 200m (2025-26). The Virginia product earned the 2025 Walter Slovenski Award, given to the top male track athlete at that year's NED3 Championships, for winning the 400m in a meet record 48.00 seconds and finishing fourth in the 200m at 21.64 seconds.

Semerod, a senior distance specialist, is making her second trip to Indoor Nationals, but this year will mark her first appearance as an individual participant as she competes in the mile. Semerod competed was part of Coast Guard's qualifying distance medley relay team at last year's meet, which earned Second Team All-America status by finishing ninth in 11:51.01. The senior is no stranger to the national stage, making her fourth NCAA Cross Country championship appearance and earning her second All-America distinction this past fall.

For each individual national championship, the top 20 declared entries are accepted to compete. Wildsmith will enter with the top mark in high jump, 1.81 meters (5' 11.25"), which she set at Boston University's David Hemery Valentine Invitational; Naff's entry in the 400m of 47.85 seconds, sitting at 14th in the field, was also clocked at the Hemery Invite; and Semerod also slots into 14th in the mile with a time of 4:51.82 from the Tufts Final Qualifier. Semerod's official time at Tufts was 4:54.70, with her qualifying mark being converted to the expected time if it was ran on a banked track.

The 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships will take place on Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama. Prelims for the 400 and mile will be contested on the 13th, with finals for all three events on the 14th.