[Track & Field] Mustangs Open Outdoor Season with Record-Breaking Performances

MEMPHIS, Tenn./FAYETTE, Mo. – The Mustangs opened the outdoor track and field season in two different locations this weekend. A group of individuals traveled to compete in the Rhodes College Invitational while the remainder of the teams competed at the Central Methodist University Open. Record-Breaking performances were displayed in multiple events at both locations resulting in a successful start to the Mustangs' outdoor season.

At the Rhodes College Invitational, Colton Forster (SR/Marion, Iowa) broke his own school record in the 5000 Meters finishing ninth with a personal best time of 14:49.41. Teammate, James Lindstrom (SR/Apple Valley, Calif.), followed in 16th place with a personal best time of 15:22.66 landing him the number two spot in school history. Lindstrom also recorded a strong performance in the Mile placing seventh (4:23.56). In the Men's Triple Jump, Luke Nickelson (JR/Nipomo, Calif) posted a runner-up finish with a personal best mark of 13.87m just missing the school record by .02m. On the women's side, Kathryn Vander Poel (SR/Bakersfield, Calif.) finished runner-up in the 800 Meters with a 2:18.10 and a number four spot in school history. Vander Poel also finished third in the Mile with a personal best time of 5:15.51 and a number three spot in school history. Teammate, Andrea Ertz (JR/Central City, Iowa), finished in fifth place with a personal best time of 15:17.33 good enough for the number four spot in school history. In the 3000 Steeplechase, McKenna Johnson (SO/Asbury, Iowa) posted a fifth-place finish with a personal best time of 12:01.42 and landed herself the number five spot in school history.

At the Central Methodist University Open, Jasmine Wardell (JR/Marion, Iowa) shined as she collected a runner-up finish in Shot Put with a personal best throw of 12.28m placing her third on the Mustangs Top Performance List and a fifth-place finish in Hammer Throw with a personal best throw of 40.39m placing her fourth on the Mustangs Top Performance List. In the Men's 400 Meters, Connor Christophersen (JR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) placed ninth with a personal best 51.90. Josh Long (SR/Belle Plaine, Iowa) and Hunter Filloon (SO/Toledo, Iowa) placed sixth (2:07.90) and ninth (2:10.20) respectively in the 800 Meters. The 4x400 Relay Team of Long, Filloon, Christophersen, and Souleymane Diallo (SR/Washington, D.C.) finished in fourth (3:34.68) followed by the 4x400 Relay Team of Josiah Watson (FR/Walnut, Calif.), August Stamp (SR/Colona, Ill.) (SR/Colona, Ill.), Devin Blish (SO/Des Moines, Iowa), and Nick Jordan (FR/Toledo, Iowa) in fifth (3:48.25). The men finished 11th of 12 teams. On the women's side, Sophie Feahn (FR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) finished fifth (12.92) in the 100 Meters and seventh (27.46) in the 200 Meters. Mady Roth (JR/Bakersfield, Calif.) and Kelsi Huhndorf (FR/Marion, Iowa) finished eighth (2:37.91) and tenth (2:39.02) respectively in the 800 Meters. In the 3000 Meters, Alexa Zamora (SR/Apple Valley, Calif.) finished in sixth (11:34.84). Also finishing within the top ten for the Shot Put was Hannah Lueck (FR/Dyersville, Iowa) in seventh (10.77m) and Lauren Wilson in eighth with a personal best mark of 10.65m. In the Javelin, Karley Jaynes (SR/Urbana, Iowa) finished in eighth place (27.48m) and Wardell in ninth (25.54m). The women finish T-10th of 11 teams.

Up next, the Mustangs will compete at the Viking Olympics on Saturday, March. 30 in Rock Island, Ill.