BEREA, Ohio & JOLIET, Ill. – The Trine University men's and women's track and field teams sent student-athletes to compete in multiple events on Friday and Saturday at the Harrison Dillard Twilight and Fighting Chance Invite to attempt to qualify for the NCAA DIII Outdoor National Championships.
HARRISON DILLARD TWILIGHT:
Sprinters and hurdles took to the track at Baldwin Wallace University on Friday evening. In the 110-meter hurdles, both Jake Gladieux (14.71 seconds) and Greysen Spohn (14.89 seconds) qualified for the event finals, with Spohn earning a new personal best time in the prelims. Gladieux secured a fifth-place finish at 14.46 seconds and Spohn was eighth with a time of 14.99 seconds. Evan Selby was in action in the 400-meter hurdles and placed 12th overall at 55.19 seconds, a new personal best.
FIGHTING CHANCE INVITE:
Throwers and distance runners were sent west to the University of Saint Francis to compete in the Fighting Chance Invite. In the men's hammer throw, Theodore Samra was fourth overall with a best toss of 53.33 meters (175' 0.00"). The women's hammer throw saw Madelyn Summers place 21st at 38.96 meters (127' 10.00"). On Saturday, Brandan Cross placed 18th in the discus at 40.38 meters (132' 6.00").
In women's distance events, Brianna Medcalf competed in the 5000-meter race and Lydia Randolph in the 10,000-meter race. Medcalf placed 21st on the leaderboard with a time of 18:02.40. For Randolph, it was a fourth-place spot at 38:41.90.
Four men's distance runners were in action in the 5000-meter race on Friday, with Ryan Hoopingarner securing an eighth-place finish in the invitational race (14:48.15). This mark is a new personal best for the freshman and he is closing in on the school record set all the way back in 1979. Joseph Packard (17th), Matthew Edison (19th) and Jacob Myers (26th) all competed in heat races for the team. Packard had a time of 15:25.77, with Edison and Myers in tow at 15:28.55 and 15:47.09.
The team will look for continued postseason success at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 25-27. Stay tuned for www.trinethunder.com for more information regarding potential qualifications for that event.