WAVERLY - Marcus Newsom's fellow Division III track coaches like to kid him about his obsession with quarter-milers.

Newsom has stockpiled them for his Wartburg College women's track and field team, and they may help leave the Knights' competition in the dust this week at the NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships at Marietta College in Ohio.

Wartburg, the reigning indoor women's national champion, qualified four runners for the 400, including three of the top five qualifiers, and owns the fastest qualifying time in the 4x400 by six seconds, an event it has won two straight years at nationals.

"I get teased by coaches around the country," smiled Newsom. "It is one of those things … I've always had a list of successful quarter-milers.

"My philosophy in building a track program, in regards to sprinters, is from a quarter-mile standpoint.

"A quarter-miler can go down and run the 100 and 200 successful, and they can go run 800s successful. My base is to recruit quarter-milers."

The Knights are led by Hannah Baker, whose 54.89 clocking is the fastest time posted by a Division III athlete this season.

Freshman Nevada Morrison ranks third at 55.63 and junior Chelsey Jacobs of Allison has the fifth-best time at 55.72. Jenny Kordick of Allison, a three-time outdoor all-American, is also qualified in the 400.

"The reason we are so deep is we can hold each other accountable," Kordick said. "We push each other in practice and expect big things out of ourselves and each other."

Freshman phenom Faith Burt, who has qualified in the 100 and 200, will also run on the 4x400 team.

"I feel comfortable about where we are at," Newsom said. "When people talk about Faith Burt they talk about her short sprints, they don't think about the 400. When I recruited her, right away (as) part of the recruiting process I told her, 'I'm going to train you as a quarter-miler and we will go down and run in the 100 and 200.' And, I told her, 'I think we will be successful in all three.'"

Burt will also team with Kordick, Morrison and Kelsey Steffens on the 4x100 relay team that has also qualified No. 1.

The 4x400 meter team, made up of Baker, Burt, Jacobs and Morrison, won the Drake Relays in 3:44.29 and was just as fast at the Iowa Conference championships.

"We had a really good run at the conference meet, and it was good to realize we could run that fast," Jacobs said. "If we can do that this coming weekend it should be fun."

Wartburg won the indoor national title in the 4x400 and has earned all-American honors in the event at 11 straight indoor (eight) and outdoor (three) nationals.

"We won indoors and we've been constantly looking to outdoors saying we want to win that. That is our goal," Baker said. "We've worked really, really hard this season and are trying to push each other as much in practice so when we get to nationals there will be no regrets, that we've done everything we possibly can this season to make sure we do the best we can at nationals."

Brittany Thomas in the 100 hurdles, Sarah Hoffman in the shot put and discus, Anna Kraayenbrink in the 5,000 and Akeya Aimable of Waterloo, the reigning triple jump indoor national champion, round out Wartburg's contingent at nationals.

According to raceberryjam.com, the Knights are predicted to finish behind Wisconsin-La Crosse in the team race.

Wartburg was second a year ago.

"After winning the indoor title, we knew everybody would be out to get us at the outdoor (championships) so that has fueled us," Kordick said.

"We're just going to go about our business as usual and not put too much pressure on ourselves," Newsom said. "I feel good about what we are capable of doing."

On the men's side, Brian Chenoweth is a top-five qualifier in both the 5,000 and 10,000. He was fifth in the 5,000 a year ago.

"I feel really good. Probably my best race of the season was this last weekend when I qualified in the 5K," Chenoweth said. "In cross country, I peaked right at the end so I feel really well."

Joining Chenoweth on the men's side are high jumper Jordan Sathoff and 110-meter hurdler Russell Harris.

Four Luther College athletes qualifled. Janet Dobyns and Katie Dolan will compete in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, Dani Meirick will compete in the 800-meter run, and Lauren Boleen will compete in the javelin.

Action gets under way Thursday and runs through Saturday.