WHITEWATER, Wisc. – The Trine University men's track and field team concluded their split weekend on Saturday at the Midwest Elite Invitational at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Thunder tied for sixth of nine teams in attendance with 41.5 points. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse dominated the event with 170 points, nearly 100 more than second place.
Jake Gladieux secured the team's only event win in the 60-meter hurdles. He ran a 8.08-second time in the event finals to nab the win, with Greysen Spohn also scoring points in third at 8.24 seconds. Gladieux was also the top finisher for Trine in the 60-meter dash in 12th (7.02 seconds) and the 200-meter dash in second (22.23 seconds). Spohn grabbed more points thanks to a third-place spot in the high jump at 1.93 meters (6' 4.00").
The final two points came from a pair of eighth place finishes in field events. Zion Jackson competed in the long jump, reaching a distance of 6.83 meters (22' 5.00") on his best effort. Alexander Lewis was eighth as well in the shot put at 15.06 meters (49' 5.00").
Other field results included Morgan Johnson, who was 10th in the pole vault (4.28 meters / 14' 0.50"), Ethan Spahr, who finished 15th in the triple jump (13.20 meters / 43' 3.75"), and Dillon Dennison, who completed the weight throw event in 18th (15.31 meters / 50' 2.75"). Spahr's triple jump score was just off his personal best and school record mark of 13.22 meters (43' 4.50").
The men's 4x400-meter relay team consisting of Philip Nemechek, Zack Gaynor, Samuel Sering and Jack Melvin placed 12th in the event with a time of 3:42.86. In other running events, Ryan Smith ran a 51.85-second time in the 400-meter run (13th), Nemechek completed the 800-meter run with a time of 1:57.89 (14th), Tyler Hartleroad recorded a time of 4:24.67 in the mile run (18th) and the 5000-meter run saw Joseph Packard finish at 15:12.60 (17th).
The Thunder will compete in one more race before hosting the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championships. That is the Hillsdale Tune-Up on Saturday, February 17.
