NAPERVILLE,  Mass. -- Bridgewater State University senior Michael McPherson (Mansfield, Mass.) placed tenth in the shot put at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday on the campus of North Central College.

McPherson posted a distance of 55 feet, one inch (16.79 meters) in his second of three attempts to garner the tenth place finish.

David Pless of Bates College captured the national title in the shot put with a toss of 60 feet, three inches (18.36 meters). Fred Fulton of Messiah (58'7.25") and Roger Steen of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (57'5.75") rounded out the top three placewinners.

McPherson was attempting to garner All-American honors for the second straight track and field season, but finished two spots out of the top eight finishers. He earned All-American status with an eighth-place showing at the 2012 Outdoor Track and Field Championships last spring.

McPherson is the Bears' record holder in the shot put for both the indoor (55'8.50") and outdoor (55'7.50") seasons.