ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University men's track and field team won eight of 16 total events that led to a convincing win at the Don and Riley Zimmer Indoor Classic hosted by Trine at the Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Athletic and Recreation Center in Angola, Ind.
The Thunder captured the overall team title with a total of 233 points.
The men won five running events, including one relay. In the one-mile run, the Thunder posted a standout effort by capturing first through sixth place individually. Freshman Levi Neuzerling (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) crossed the finish line in first place in the event with a time of 4:32.34. Junior Jonathan Phillips (Royal Center, Ind./Pioneer Junior-Senior) was second in a time of 4:35.33 and freshman Neil O'Brien (Whiteland, Ind./Roncalli) was third at 4:37.27. Fourth, fifth and sixth places were held by freshman Jack Beakas (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) (4:38.61), junior Kody Snyder (Burnettsville, Ind./Twin Lake) (4:38.73) and freshman Alex Amaro (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran) (4:41.28).
Trine placed first through fourth in the 200-meter dash with junior Jeffery Barnett (Fremont, Ohio/Fremont-Ross) recording the top overall time of 22.81 seconds. Junior Zach Markley (Winamac, Ind./Winamac), sophomore Jacob Root (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg) and junior Jasper Bassett (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) all finished within nine one-hundreths of a second of each other with Markley finishing with a time of 23.01 seconds, Root at 23.07 seconds and Bassett with 23:10 seconds.
Bassett and Markley finished back-to-back in the 400-meter run with Bassett clipping the winners tape in a mark of 50.51 seconds, followed by Markley in a time of 50.58 seconds.
The Thunder continued their strong performances in the mid-to-long distance events with a one-two finish in the 800-meter run. Freshman Derek Miller (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview) ran a time of 1:59.70 to take top individual honors and was followed by senior Paul Baker (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) in second at 2:00.24.
In relay action, Trine had the winning mark of 3:27.55 to add 10 points to the team total.
Trine carried over its success on the track with three individual victories in the field events, begininng with a first-place effort in the pole vault by junior Jacob Payne (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) who recorded a best attempt of 14' 11.00" (4.55 meters).
Barnett added to his win in the 200-meter dash with a first-place showing in the long jump, leaping a top distance of 23' 6.00" (7.16 meters).
Rounding out the event winners was junior Mitch Martin (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) who captured the weight throw event with a toss of 55' 0.00" (16.76 meters). Fellow junior Nick Gerber (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) also competed in the event and placed second after a distance of 54' 9.25" (16.69 meters).
The track and field team will compete in the Dick Small Invitational hosted by Defiance (Ohio) College on Friday, Feb. 9. The first events are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in Defiance, Ohio.