BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Fifth-year senior Zoe Barnes (New Gloucester, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) became the third woman in University of Southern Maine track & field history to win a NCAA Division III National Championship on Saturday as she won the shot put title with a toss of 14.84m to shatter her own program record. She joins Peyton Dostie (pentathlon - 2016) and Sophia Slovenski (javelin - 2021) as Huskies to win national titles.
 
Barnes was the event leader following her first throw of the competitor which went for 14.10m. After fouling on her second attempt, she had a third throw of 14.49m to enter the finals at the top of the leaderboard. Barnes then had throws of 13.06m and 13.75m before ending her remarkable career with a massive throw of 14.84m.
 
Barnes is now a two-time All-American as she previously earned Second Team All-America honors in the discus at the 2025 Outdoor National Championships. Her career accolades include 10 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honors, nine Little East Conference event titles and five Little East Conference Field Athlete of the Year awards. In addition to holding the program record in both the indoor (14.84m) and outdoor shot put (13.49m), Barnes is program record holder in the weight throw (16.98m) and discus (45.60m).