From D3 to USAs, Simone Wilson and Kayla Armstrong Ready to Compete Against the Best

“Competing at USAs is something that I’ll talk about for the rest of my life. I’m sure the people around me are going to get sick of it, but I’m sorry, I’m going to keep talking about it!”

This week we sit down with Concordia Chicago duo, Simone Wilson and Kayla Armstrong! Fresh of their national titles in the 400mH and 400m, Simone and Kayla head to Eugene, Oregon to compete against the best athletes in the USA for a chance to compete at the World Championships next month.

Before they compete on the biggest stage, we learned how Simone and Kayla got to Concordia and what their progression looked like. They both are thrilled with the opportunities they received at a D3 school and cited they didn’t need a D1 school to achieve the success they’re having.

Simone came to Concordia without qualifying for the State meet. She was sold on the small school experience and the family atmosphere the team presented. She quickly made an immediate impact while becoming an All-American her freshman year.

Kayla had a different approach to Concordia. She came in as a State champion with the option to potentially go to a Mid-Major D1. She saw the benefits Simone saw in the family atmosphere and felt more comfortable at Concordia.

Simone competes at 4:50pm PST and Kayla competes at 7:11pm PST on Thursday.



Kava Haus

Kava Haus is a family owned coffee shop in Wilmington, Ohio. In fact, there’s a special connection to D3 as it’s Simon Heys’ family store. They’re offering 10% off to D3 Glory Days Listeners when you use Kava22 at Checkout. Head to www.thekavahaus.com to get your morning started right.

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