The Western Illinois track and field team closed the indoor season at the Summit League Conference Championships this weekend in Vermillion, South Dakota this past weekend. In the team scores, the men had their highest finish since 2017 with fifth overall, while the women placed eighth .

Toriano Tate led the Leathernecks, winning the men's long jump competition with 7.26 meters (23 feet, 10 inches) and placing third in the triple jump with 14.06 meters (46' 1.5''). Tate's efforts garnered him The Summit League Championship Newcomer Award, awarded to the freshman who scores the most team points.

"This was the first meet where we backed off training. Our group took time to get ourselves right this week," Toriano Tate said. "We knew that coming into the championship we were ready to do something big, and that's what happened."

Toriano Tate wasn't alone on the runway, teammate Alessandro Belluz had a breakout meet putting eight points on the board for the Leathernecks. Belluz came into the long jump ranked 27th in the conference yet he ended placing fifth overall in the long jump with 7.04 meters (23' 1.25"). In Belluz's second-ever triple jump, he also placed fifth with a 13.97 meters (45' 10") performance.

"We have been preparing for this moment since August. As soon as Toriano got on campus, we started working towards big goals. Alessandro transferred in at semester and really helped push Toriano to a new level," coach Rob Tarpley said. "Going into this outdoor season we have a lot of momentum, and we will continue to shoot for big things."

The men's Distance Medley Relay made their way onto the podium for the third year in a row with a third-place finish. The relay was made up of Isaiah Moorman (1200m), Zion Caruthers (400m), Isaac Jones (800m) and Logan Lommel (1600m). 

The men also scored seven points in the 800 meters. Lucas Hofer placed fourth while Richard Brown placed eighth. Freshman standout, Arnie Grunert added four points to the board placing fifth overall in the pole vault. The men closed out the meet placing fifth in the 4x400 meter relay with Lucas Hofer, Zion Caruthers, Isaac Jones and Richard Brown.

Paulina Wuestefeld led the women's team with a close fifth-place finish in the 3000 meters. Wuestefeld ran a personal-best for the third time this season with 9:52.44. The women's distance medley placed sixth overall with Madison Trevena (1200m), Zwandi Harrison (400m), Maleigha Huston (800m), and Aylana Cezar (1600m). Huston also placed seventh overall in the open 800 meters. 

Freshman Nakeita Kessling placed eighth overall in the long jump. Kessling was joined by Aliyah Adams, Zwandi Harrison and Briza Dure to place seventh in the 4x400 meter relay.

"I was really happy with how the men performed. Placing fifth as a team was a great step forward. Last year we only had individual scorers in the men's 800 meters, and this year we had scorers across a wide range of events,"  coach Trey Brokaw said. "On the women's side we were so close to the same breakthrough. We had many women just one or two places out of scoring position. They have the potential to finish just as high as the men's team come outdoor season."

Top 10 All-Time Performers:

• Aliyah Adams breaks the tie for third all-time in the 60m hurdles running 8.85 seconds. 

• Paulina Wuestefeld bettered her fourth all-time mark in the 3000 meters with 9:52.44.

• Paulina Lucer pole vaulted the fourth best jump all-time with 3.72 meters (12' 2.5").

• Cooper Cox ties for fifth all-time in the 60 meters running 6.98 seconds.

• Aliyah Adams ran the sixth fastest 200 meters all-time in 25.40 seconds. 

• Emma Ponx bettered her sixth all-time pole vault mark, jumping 3.58 meters (11' 8.5").

• Toriano Tate breaks the tie for 8th all-time  in the long jump with 7.26 meters (23' 10").