Colorado College senior Rabbit Barnes finished second in the nation in the men's mile race Saturday afternoon at the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in Birmingham, Ala.
 
Barnes, who earned his second-career first-team All-America honor, finished the race with a time of 4:14.39, just behind Jack Brown of Central College, whose winning time was 4:14.01.
 
"Racing the mile at the national meet is such a tactical race," head coach Katie Bretscher said. "Rabbit was prepared for several different scenarios. We knew it was a very talented field and he raced with confidence. I'm thrilled that he finished in 2^nd place." 
 
Barnes' finish is the second-best in the history of Colorado College for a male athlete in an individual sport. Jordan DeGayner won the 200 freestyle race at the 2012 NCAA Division III Swimming Championships.
 
"First of all, I'm feeling so much gratitude for the people and support systems that got me here; my coaches, friends, and especially my teammates," Barnes said. "They have inspired and motivated me to show up to the line with confidence and clarity. It is hard to be upset with a runner-up finish, especially given my inexperience on the indoor oval. But of course, my appetite for D3 gold is yet to be satiated; I will be carrying the lessons and gratitude from today forward with me into my final outdoor season. The mile is a harsh and variable distance, and I'm honored to be a student of the game. As always, I'm proud to be a Tiger."
 
Barnes is the first Colorado College male to qualify for the Division III Indoor Championships.