University of Southern Indiana Cross Country/Track & Field Coach Mike Hillyard announced that Braden Nicholson (Claremont, Illinois) is transferring to compete for the Screaming Eagles’ men’s program in 2020-21.
Nicholson spent his freshman season at NCAA Division III power North Central College, where he was the top-ranked Division III freshman in the country in the indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters.
On the cross country course, Nicholson competed in four meets, posting a 28th-place finish at the Wheaton College Invitational.
A graduate of Richland County High School in Olney, Illinois, Nicholson finished fourth in the 3,200 meters at the IHSA Class 2A Outdoor Championships as a senior in 2019.
“Braden is coming off an indoor track season that saw him emerge as the No. 1 freshman in the country at the 3k and 5k distances in NCAA Division III,” Hillyard said. “His lifetime accrued aerobic base is still very low, so he has much, much bigger performances in his future. He’s a confident young mand with a very high ceiling.”
Nicholson joins NCAA Division I transfer Noah Hufnagel (Santa Claus, Indiana) and incoming freshman Silas Winders (Mansfield, Tennessee) on USI’s list of announced newcomers. USI has won 15 consecutive Great Lakes Valley Conference men’s cross country titles and a league-record 27 overall.
USI, along with the Evansville Sports Corporation, is currently scheduled to host the NCAA II Midwest Region and NCAA II National Championships in November at Angel Mounds.
