IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The Western Illinois track and field team competed at the Jimmy Grant Invite in Iowa City, Iowa this past Saturday. Highlights included five student-athletes added to the top 10 program all-time list, three event wins and one national record.
"The track & field team had a great fall semester of training, and that was evident in our performances these first two meets. We had four men and four women land on the top-10 lists in various events. Of those eight individuals, six of them were freshmen. Our younger athletes have shown a tremendous amount of potential here early. We also have a small group of upperclassmen leaders," coach Trey Brokaw said. "Our culture is awesome right now. I'm hopeful that the group will work hard over the break and we can return as good, or better in January."
Freshmen continue to shine in the field. Newcomer Arnie Grunert opened his season in the men's pole vault clearing 4.80 meters (15 feet, 9 inches). Grunert's mark was good enough to place him second in the competition and second on the all-time school list. In the women's pole vault, Emma Ponx improved her personal best and moved up on the all-time list from sixth to tie for fourth with Faith Chew's 2007 vault. Ponx narrowly missed the overall win, jumping the same height as first place, 3.55 meters (11 feet 7.5 inches) but ending second on misses. Freshman Aliyah Adams placed second in the women's long jump with a personal best 5.71 meter jump (18 feet, 9 inches), placing her 10th on the all-time list in school history.
In the men's 600 meters, senior Lucas Hofer narrowly missed the school record by .14 seconds. Hofer improved his own second place all-time mark from 1:20.06 to 1:19.83. Freshman Isaac Jones became sixth on the all-time 600 meter list running 1:22.87.
Event wins included Logan Lommel in the men's mile, Zion Caruthers in the men's 400 meters and Toriano Tate in the men's triple jump.
Briza Dure became the Paraguayan national record holder in the women's 300 meters running an all conditions personal best of 41.15 seconds (54.86 400 meter pace).
The Leathernecks continue the indoor season after break at the Hawkeye Invite Jan. 13-14, 2022 in Iowa City.
