FREELAND, Mich. -- The Trine University men's track and field team came up victorious at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Outdoor Championship, earning their first outdoor championship in program history. Seniors Nicolas Kane (St. Charle, Ill. / St. Charles East) and Neil O'Brien (Whiteland, Ind. / Roncalli) each played crucial roles in that victory and swept the MIAA Athlete of the Week Honors.
O'Brien was named this week's MIAA Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week after a pair of podium finishes. He came up the winner of the steeplechase with a time of 9:24.72, an event where he is also ranked nationally following his season-best performance at the GINA Relays in April. He then also finished runner-up in the 800m with a time of 1:58.18.
Kane took home the MIAA Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week honor by finishing the competition earning points for the Thunder in three events. He finished fourth in the hammer throw (47.37), seventh in the discus throw (38.68) and eighth in the shot put (13.39).