COLLEGE STATION – Sophomore Steffin McCarter stood on the outside looking in. He ranked No. 17 in the nation in the men’s long jump heading into nationals. Only the top 16 are invited.

With a last minute gift, McCarter slid into the field after a runner ranked ahead of him dropped out. He made the most of it, miraculously finishing 4th in the preliminaries.

“All I need is a chance…just need one chance,” McCarter said after his race. “Okay, I can do this.”

Head coach Mario Sategna said he knew McCarter was capable of a big race. But he said it speaks to each athlete’s mentality whether or not they can achieve on the biggest stages.

“The margin of error is paper thin at this point,” Sategna said. “All the marks at this point are out the window. Everyone, physically, is dialed in, but mentally who can get it done within three jumps.”

McCarter did more than get it done. He set two personal records in the span of two hours, finishing 3rd in the finals and earning his well-rewarded spot as a First Team All-American during day one of the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station.

McCarter wasn’t the only one who set personal records. Junior Wolf Mahler set or matched his PR in 2-of-4 events in the first day of the heptathlon, even though he finished at No. 15.

Junior Heptathlon athlete Ashtin Zamzow —Mahler’s girlfriend — continued to cheer him on throughout the day even with poor performances in the 60m and shot put.

“This event means a lot to (Mahler),” Zamzow said. “He's finally healthy. Last year at conference, he ran with a torn muscle (in his foot). The year before, (he) had a bulged disk."

Mahler picked up on Sategna’s comments about mental toughness. He’s heading into day two of competition with a burning desire to perform well.

“I’ve made much bigger comebacks to get All-American,” Mahler implored. “I expect to be All-American when I walk out of this building tomorrow.”

Mahler’s heptathlon teammate, junior transfer Steele Wasik, is ranked No. 13 and continues to make improvements toward his events.

Other athletes also expect to be All-Americans as they wake up for day two of the meet.

For the men, senior Senoj-Jay Givans will run in the finals in the 60m dash. For the women, senior Chrisann Gordon and sophomore Zola Golden both advanced in the 400m dash as well as freshman Rushelle Burton in the 60m hurdles.

Fifth-ranked Obrien Wasome will look to continue his dominance in the triple jump while Kally Long and Shay Petty hope to do the same in the Pole Vault. Wasik and Mahler will finish off their last three events, and the 4×400 team, led by Olympian Byron Robinson, will attempt to beat the school record that it almost surpassed at the Tyson Invitational.

Day two of NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, TX begins again on March 11th.