Track & Field | 5/27/2021 9:05:00 PM

ALLENDALE, Mich. — Minnesota State University Moorhead senior Nadir Yusuf capped off his collegiate career with All-American honors after finishing fifth in the men's 10,000 meters at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday in Allendale, Mich.

Yusuf finished fifth with a time of time of 29:17.64 to pick up the first All-American honors of his Dragon track career. He was also All-American in cross country in 2019.

"Going into the race I knew it would either go out hard or be a shuffle fest then the real racing beginning in the last mile but you can expect every race strategy to be on table when in a championship race," Yusuf said. "I'm happy that I was able to start the championship weekend off to a great start wearing the Dragon uniform. It's now on to Chris to continue rising the bar higher and close out the season for the team."

Yusuf was running in the top five for the entire race and stayed with the leaders. At the 3,200-meter mark he was in fifth.

He later moved into fourth as the top four broke away from the pack about halfway through the race. He moved up to third at the 16:10 mark.

It turned into a three-person race between Ezra Mutai's, Grand Valley State's Isaac Harding and Yusuf as that group pulled away from the rest of the field.  Dylan Ko of Colorado School of Mines also joined the top three to battle as the race intensified over the final mile.

Yusuf crossed the finish line in fifth. He missed out on fourth by less than a second. 

"Nadir should be proud of the race he ran," MSUM head track and field/cross country coach Ryan Milner said. "He capped an exceptional Dragon career by putting himself in position contend for a title and is coming home a two-time All-American."

The Willmar senior finishes his Dragon distance career with two All-American honors (one in track and one in cross country), five NSIC track titles and four school track records. 

NCAA D2 Outdoor Championships

10,000-meters

1. Ezra Mutai (American International), 29:09.48

2. Isaac Harding (Grand Valley State), 29:09.70

3. Dylan Ko (Colorado Mines), 29:13.97

4. Tanner Chada (Grand Valley State), 29:16.71

5. Nadir Yusuf (MSU Moorhead), 29:17.64

6. Kyle Moran (Colorado Mines), 29:18.33

7. Enael Woldemichael (Grand Valley State), 29:19.47

8. Ryder Searle (Colorado Christian), 29:22.39

9. Jack Mastrandea (Charleston), 29:24.95

10. Jan Lukas Becker (Queens), 29:25.83