By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Three members of the Bridgewater State University track & field programs will be making their debuts in the national spotlight this week.
Senior Kiara Abrantes (Somerset, Mass.) of the Bears' women's team will be joined by senior Kevin McBirney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and freshman Alex Huynh (Stoughton, Mass.) at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships.
The trio, along with graduate student Alison McDonough (Halifax, Mass.) and senior Serenity Sands (East Bridgewater, Mass.), arrived in Rochester, N.Y., for the competition, which begins on Friday on the campus of Nazareth University.
Abrantes, McBirney and Huynh all turned in BSU record-breaking performances this season while qualifying for the NCAAs for the first time.
Abrantes will race in the preliminary round of the 400-meter run on Friday at 3:25 p.m. with the final on Saturday at 4:40 p.m.
McBirney is in the 800-meter race with the preliminary round on Friday at 3:45 p.m. and the final on Saturday at 4:50 p.m.
Huynh is in the high jump event, which takes place on Saturday at noon at the Golisano Training Center.
The trio will benefit from having McDonough and Sands, who are each in their fifth NCAA Championship event, sharing their experiences. McDonough will be in the 60-meter hurdles and Sands is in the high jump.
"I honestly have been talking to my teammates who qualified and coach (Christine Kloiber)," said Abrantes. "I have a great support system and I am excited for that. They give me confidence to compete at that level."
Said Sands, who earned All-America status a year ago by finishing fourth, "We've been talking, and the advice I've given her is that a lot of people think you should have a lot more expectations, but you already made it to this meet. You don't know need to do anything different. Just run your race and let how exciting it is motivatie you."
Here's a look at BSU's three first-time NCAA competitors:
KIARA ABRANTES, 400
Abrantes opened the season by setting the school record in the 500 (1:15.71) at the Early Bird Invitational on Dec. 7.
She also broke the Bears' records in the 200 (25.25) and the 400 (55.78).
Abrantes qualified for the NCAAs with her performance at the Feb. 8 Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invitational at Boston University.
She is seeded 10th in a field of 20 with a time of 56.53 seconds (converted because of the BU track size).
"It means so much to me," said Abrantes of qualifying. "It's been my dream since freshman year. This feels just so surreal.
"It is the best feeling in the world. I actually accomplished my goal, something I had dreamed about."
Abrantes said that increased training in the weight room during the offseason has benefited her throughout the 2024-25 season.
"I started lifting earlier and worked on my power," said Abrantes, a six-time Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference track Athlete of the Week this season. "I think that definitely helped me."
Abrantes finished third in the 200 to earn All-New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association honors, competing with athletes from all divisions. She was second at the Division III New England Championships in the 400.
"I think my mindset has been a lot different this year," said Abrantes. "I felt like in past years, I would struggle with feeling I belong, especially in the postseason where the competition is a lot better. This year, I have a different confidence to me, like I belong here."
Abrantes was contacted by Kloiber last Sunday, making the news official that she had made it to the NCAAs.
"It was so exciting," said Abrantes. "I was home and my family was there when coach emailed congratulations. I was so excited."
Abrantes has one year of indoor track & field eligibility remaining and can return for the 2025-26 season.
KEVIN McBIRNEY, 800
McBirney was in the running for an NCAA berth during the indoor and outdoor seasons a year ago, but just missed the cut.
This winter, he is seeded No. 16 out of 20 runners with a qualifying time of 1:53.00.
"It's good, but it'd be even nicer if I do well," said McBirney, who hit his NCAA time at the Tufts National Qualifier last Saturday, finishing third.
"I stuck with the same plan I've always been doing. Believe in myself, believe in the coaching and I just got over the hump this year.
"I did all the correct little things, and the little things for me made the big things. Once I pieced that together, everything else just fell into place."
McBirney was the MASCAC track Athlete of the Week twice this season and has earned that honor eight times over his career. He has also been the outdoor Athlete of the Week four times and the cross country Runner of the Week nine times the past two seasons.
McBirney has taken part in numerous indoor and outdoor meets and cross country races since arriving at BSU. Now he is running in a national race looking for All-America status.
"I totally expect it to be different," said McBirney. "This isn't going to be the MASCAC Championship race, that's for sure. It's going to be pretty aggressive and I've got to do what I've been doing.
"I honestly felt more pressure in last week's (qualifier) than this one. My goal is to get in the top 10. I always knew I should go and now I'm there."
McBirney is hoping the trip to the NCAAs won't be the only one of his Bears' career.
"I think experience is everything," said McBirney. "If I get a good experience, it will help in the spring and next fall."
McBirney is one of five runners from Massachusetts schools in the field for the 800.
ALEX HUYNH, High jump
Huynh set the BSU record of six feet, 8.75 inches at the Division III New England Championships.
He placed second at the all-divisions New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Championships with a jump of 6-7 and was also second at the Tufts National Qualifier.
At Stoughton High where he also played football, Huynh's best jump was 6-4.
Huynh has been the MASCAC Rookie of the Week seven times and the Field Athlete of the Week four times.
He is seeded tied for 12th in a field of 20 high jumpers.
Huynh didn't have lofty expectations in his first collegiate season, but now he is among 20 high jumpers nationally and four from New England competing.
"I wasn't expecting much," said Huynh. "I was expecting to improve because I'm only focusing on one sport in college.
"I definitely didn't think about this. But as the season progressed and I was getting close to a good mark, it was on my mind."
Huynh won the high jump at the Tufts Branwen Smith-King Invitational in the fourth meet of the season and kept improving from there.
"I think the main thing is the weightlifting," said Huynh. "I'm in the weight room more. My body is more acclimated to staying strong throughout the season and that has helped."
Huynh broke his own school record at the Division III New Englands to finish second and was also second at the NEIAAA Championships with a jump of 6-7 against all divisions.
Now he is moving up, going against the best in the nation.
"It'll be more competitive," he knows. "I'm going to go out there and do what I can, even though I'm not ranked the best. It's about who can perform on that day.
"I hope to get a top eight. That'd be pretty cool to be an All-American."
With the outdoor season and three more years remaining after the NCAAs, the future is looking bright for Huynh.
The experience gained on Saturday will only benefit him going forward.
"It'll help me a lot," said Huynh. "I was fortunate to get in during my first year."