(Marion, IN) - The Cardinal Men's and Women's track teams opened their 2015 indoor campaign at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. The meet was a smaller invite with six schools, a club team, and several unattached competitors.

WOMEN

DISTANCE

Stephanie Johnston started her 2015 season by breaking a 5 year old mile record. Her time of 5:31.42 bested the record by just over 2 seconds. She placed first in the event. Her day wasn't done though, with the 1000m race coming not long after her school record run. She had her work cut out for her but the 14 year old record was taken down by just under 3 full seconds at 3:16.59. Also in the 1000m Melaina Bent opened her first indoor track season with a solid effort of 3:35.79. Courtney Dykema and Brie Schofield chased Johnston down in the mile placing 8th and 3rd respectively. Dykema came back with a solid 2:38.53 performance in the 800m, where teammates, and fellow freshman Elizabeth Mathews and Katherine Fowler made there collegiate debut. Schofield, Kelsey Riley, and Sydney Bosley rounded out the 800m effort for the lady cardinals.

SPRINTS

On the sprint side of things, the women's 4x200m relay of Adrain Motley, Mathews, Riley, and Bosley started the day out with a 2:04.50 time to place second in the event. Their time was just off the school record of 2:02.24 set in 1999. Mathews, Riley, and Bosley tackled the 400m running solid efforts after their first jaunt in the 4x200m. Motley bookended her 200m day with a 29.40 in the open 200m placing 9th overall in a tough field.

THROWS

The women's throws squad had a great first day of the 2015 season. Madison Lutzke broke teammate Jaime Schaub's Weight Throw record from a year ago with an 11.63m(38'1.75") toss that placed her 8th in the meet, and was more than a meter PR from her results last year. She also threw a 9.09m(29'9.75") toss in the shot put which was a great start considering she is learning how to spin, instead of glide.

MEN

DISTANCE

Coach Labrosse tested his men with the mile and the 800m today. Miguel Gonzales-Feliciano and Nate Heierman turned in top times in the Mile with 4:51.79 and 4:49.29 respectively. The two were joined closely behind by Ryan Bjelquist-Ledger, Andrew Gardner, Joseph Brinton, and Matt Monroe. Later in the 800m, Heierman turned in the top time for the crew with a 2:09.38. Gonzales-Feliciano was not far behind with a 2:12.83. Gardner and the freshmen contingent of Grant Bowdish, David Gaynier, Brinton, and Monroe rounded out the efforts.

SPRINTS

The meet led off with the 4x200m relay where CUAA's men fielded 2 teams. The "A" team comprised of Robert Duff, Chase Smith, Bryant Hudson, and Kane McGirt ran a 1:42.20 chasing down the "B" team of Herman Mason, Blake Hilsabeck, Brandon Cranyne, and Max Monton ran a near school record 1:35.30. The 60m dash proved to be a work in progress for most. With little blocks training the past few weeks, Herman Mason turned in the top time with a 7.37 barely missing the final by 1 spot. Hudson and Kane were right behind clocking times of 7.51 and 7.56. Hilsabeck, Duff, and Smith were shortly there after running solid races. In the 2-lap 400m the Cardinals put 2 men out there to test themselves. Crayne came back after a great split in the 4x200m to clock a 55.40 in the event. Gaynier ran well as he prepared for his 800m race later in the meet. The final event for the CUAA sprints crew was the 200m. Mason, Hudson, Duff, and Smith pushed themselves round the track one final time to finish a great first meet for the team. Mason's time of 23.97 was fastest among the men also missing the top 8 by a spot.

THROWS

Conner Blanch led the Cardinal men in the Shot Put with a huge PR and 6th place finish. His 12.40m(40'8.25") toss was a near meter improvement from last year, and a great way to start his season. Sophomore Christopher "Critter" Deneen and Junior Jordan Foster threw well with Deneen missing finals by a spot. Freshman Josh Berry started his collegiate career with solid throwing, but was unfortunate in not being able to mark any. The Weight Throw was next for the men, where Junior Adam Koch led the way with his first place toss of 14.41m(47'3.25") broke his own school record from last year by more than a meter. Deneen also competed in the weight throw where he missed finals yet again by a spot. His silver lining on the day was a PR in the Weight Throw.

JUMPS

The only Jumper on the day was Freshman Bryant Hudson. Hudson took on the High Jump where Coach Royce (former University of Michigan standout and current High Jump record holder) guided him to a 4th place finish.

SCHOOL RECORDS

WOMEN

Mile—5:31.42 set by Stephanie Johnston

1000m—3:16.59 set by Stephanie Johnston

Weight Throw—11.63m (38'1.75") set by Madison Lutzke

MEN

Weight Throw—14.41m (47'3.25") set by Adam Koch

The coaching staff was very encouraged by all performances on this first meet of the 2015 indoor season. There is much to work on, but this was a solid start to the year. The next test comes in 2 weeks at Hillsdale College over the 6-7th of February. 

GO CARDS!