WHITEWATER, Wisc. – The Trine University men's track and field team went up against powerhouses in the region in the Midwest Elite Invitational on Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Thunder men were seventh overall, with the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh finishing first.
The highlight of the day came from Jake Gladieux, who won both the 60-meter hurdle and 200-meter events. Gladieux ran an 8.12-second hurdle time while Greysen Spohn also scored points for the team with an eighth-place 8.72 second race. In the 200, Gladieux went 22.59 seconds en route to victory, while Spohn once again was behind him to score points in sixth (22.99 seconds).
Trine also received a push with three point-scoring finishes in the 3000-meter run. Holden Martin led the pack with a fifth-place time of 8:52.22. Zach Brickler was sixth at 8:56.16 and Nicolas Squillacioti eighth at 9:11.25. Ryan Hoopingarner ran a season-best 15:03.49 in the other distance event, the 5000-meter run, good for 11th.
A season-best was also secured by Philip Nemechek in the 800-meter run. Nemechek ran a time of 1:57.91 to place 15th overall. Wrapping up other running events, Aidan Lapp was the best Trine finisher in the mile run in 19th (4:31.69) and William Thonn placed 20th in the 60-meter dash (8.12 seconds).
The Thunder's 4x400-meter relay team was 10th overall with a time of 3:36.70. The best finishing team for Trine consisted of Blane Johnson, Tyler Hartleroad, Hunter Overholser and Samuel Slough.
Highlights in field events included Jacob Barkey and Justin Ackerman, who scored points for the team. Barkey was sixth in the weight throw at 16.12 meters (52' 10.75") and Ackerman reached a height of 1.85 meters (6' 0.75") in the high jump to secure an eighth-place spot. Other field event finishes include Ethan Spahr with a 10th-place long jump of 6.40 meters (21' 0.00") and 16th-place triple jump of 12.66 meters (41' 6.50"), Alexander Lewis with a 15th-place shot put at 13.75 meters (45' 1.50") and Nathan Leap with a 16th-place pole vault height of 3.99 meters (13' 1.00").
Next weekend, the Thunder will compete in the Hillsdale Tune-Up. That event kicks off on Saturday, February 18.