MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The two-time defending national champion in the men's 400-meter dash will have a chance to go for a third after Friday's performance in the preliminaries at the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Gallaudet University senior Eric Gregory (Metairie, La.) won the first heat with a top time of 46.53 seconds to advance to Championship Saturday at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium where he will attempt a three-peat.

Only two other Division III sprinters have won three consecutive 400-meter dash championships. The duo includes Susquehanna's Mike Spangler (1986-88) and Lincoln's (Pa.) Bobby Young (2005-07).

Gregory's heat had four of the top five sprinters in the 400-meter dash to make the finals. SUNY Delhi junior Josh Jeffes finished second to Gregory with a time of 47.11 while Belhaven sophomore Kelsey Singleton was third (47.24) and Olivet senior Jordan Brown was fourth (47.36).

The other two heat winners include Ohio Northern junior Jordan Dean (47.13) and Puget Sound freshman Alexander Rhodes (47.37).

Gregory had less than 30 minutes to recover from the 400-meter dash preliminary until he was up in the 100-meter dash preliminary.

The Bison All-American sprinter gave it his all and posted a respectable time of 10.57 seconds as he finished fourth in the second heat. Gregory missed out on the cut for Saturday's final as he finished 12th overall.

The finals are comprised of the three heat winners and the next five fastest times. 

Wisconsin La-Crosse junior Sam Blaskowski set a facility record with his top time of 10.19 seconds set in the second heat with Gregory. Blaskowski, the two-time defending national champion in the 100-meter dash, will go for a three-peat on Saturday.

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Gregory will run in two finals tomorrow (Saturday, May 25) as he begins the evening in the 400-meter dash final at 5:20 p.m. He will have over an hour to recover and be ready for the 200-meter dash final at 6:50 p.m.