McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's track and field teams showcased a strong performance at The Normal Invite hosted by Illinois State University on April 12. The teams achieved eight new program records and secured 17 top-three positions.

Senior Ernie Waterson from Bloomington excelled in the men's 800m, finishing first with a time of 1:53.22, placing him 29th in Division III. Another first-place finish was achieved by the 4-by-400m relay team composed of sophomores Carson Green and Reece Dusek, junior Evan Lowder, and senior Alex Harvey.

The men's 5,000m run saw a sweep by freshmen Jack Thomas, Carson Davis, and Martin Howley who secured the top three positions. Individual third places were claimed by Lowder in the men's 400m, Harvey in the 400m hurdles, and Green in the long jump.

In the women's events, freshman Alex Reinhart took second in the 800m, achieving the program's third-best time and standing 20th in Division III. Mackenzie Huber finished fourth in the same event on her debut, marking her position on IWU's all-time list. Seniors Caitlin McCane and Lauren Huber took second and third in the javelin throw.

The men's 110m hurdles saw freshman Kamden Reynolds finish third, securing a place on the institution's all-time list. Sophomore Matt Lindberg and Imani Ogunribido also achieved third-place finishes in their respective events. In the men's 4-by-100m relay, a team including Joe Freedman, Nyamedze Maison, Cole Marshall, and Muhammad Freeman finished third, achieving eighth on the program's list.

Kelsey Moore and Sophia Baczak also made history in the women's 400m hurdles and pole vault, respectively. Lauryn Moore recorded a notable toss in the women's shot put.

Looking forward, Illinois Wesleyan will compete next at the Gibson Invitational in Terre Haute on April 18-19.