ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University men's track and field program clinched their eighth straight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) title and fifth indoor championship in a row on Saturday afternoon. The Thunder scored 203 points, nearly double second-place Hope College to secure the postseason success.
Trine had three event wins on the day, starting with a new school record mark from Ethan Spahr in the triple jump. He had a mark of 13.36 meters to top his own personal best mark in the event. He also placed second in the high jump (1.98 meters) and the long jump (6.79 meters). Jake Gladieux was victorious in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.05 seconds. He would secure a second-place time in the 200-meter dash (21.95 seconds) and sixth in the 60-meter dash (7.02 seconds). Kimball Hughes won the weight throw at 16.28 meters and he was fourth in the shot put (14.46 meters).
There were several other point scorers in multiple events, led by Greysen Spohn with a second-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles (8.20 seconds), a third in the high jump (1.98 meters) and fourth in the 60-meter dash (6.98 seconds). Zion Jackson also scored in three events, including the 60-meter hurdles at 8.20 seconds (third), the long jump at 6.73 meters (third) and the 200-meter dash at 22.55 seconds (sixth).
Colten Zableckis led a trio of Trine athletes with multiple events with points scored. He was third in both the weight throw (15.57 meters) and shot put (14.98 meters). Morgan Johnson placed second in the pole vault (4.35 meters) and eighth in the long jump (6.23 meters) and Tyler Hartleroad contributed with a fourth-place finish in the 800-meter run (1:59.36) and a seventh-place finish in the mile run (4:24.44).
Numerous distance and middle distance athletes had runner up finishes for Trine. Philip Nemechek was second in the 800-meter run (1:58.37) while Drew Sillaway finished the 3000-meter run in second and Ryan Hoopingarner runner up in the 5000-meter run (15:25.8).
Men's track and field will head to Wartburg College for a Last Chance Meet in an attempt to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships. That event takes place on March 1-2.
