OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

With ideal weather on their side, the HU track and field program turned in six new NAIA qualifying standards, three first-place victories and four new school records over the weekend at the IWU-hosted Little State Championships.

The Forester men accumulated 77 points to finish fourth out of 15 teams while the HU women finished 12th with ten points.

Dylan Felger had a big weekend competing at two different meets. He spent Friday at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Track Classic where his first-place time of 51.05 in the 400 meter hurdles was a new PR and broke his own school record.

He followed that up with another record-breaking performance at Little State on Saturday in the 200 meters. His winning time of 21.26 was not only a new school record but an A standard for NAIA Nationals.

Zachary Collins was on his heals in the 200 meters to earn a runner-up finish in 21.37 which also proved an A standard and the second fastest time in HU history. The rookie sprinter also set a new Forester record in the 100 meters and hit the B standard with his time of 10.63 which landed him second at the meet.

Representing Huntington in jumps was Noah Bise who had a banner day in triple jump. His mark of 14.63 meters not only earned him a first-place finish but broke the school record and automatically qualified him for nationals. He also registered third place in long jump with his leap of 6.94 meters.

The HU 1500 meter crew had three runners place in the top six with Elijah Chesterman headlining the group with his second-place finish. He clocked in at 3:49.89, an A standard, which established a new school record that he already held.

Aaron Hendryx also earned a spot at nationals by hitting the B standard in 3:56.41 which was good for third place and the third spot in the Forester record books. Matthew Hyter cruised to sixth in 4:01.02 which is the ninth fastest time on record at HU.

Rounding out the top performances for the HU men were Kent Yoder (31:38.00) and Austin Liepe (31:51.12) taking first and second in the 10,000 meters and the 4×400 meter relay team consisting of Josh Whitney, Nick Wilford, Blake Miller and Joshua Hodge finishing ninth in 3:33.13.

On the women’s side, Abigail Mays turned in the best finish by claiming second in the 800 meters in 2:18.45 which is eighth fastest time in HU history. Sydni Ausberry recorded a personal best of 12.37 in the 100 meters to finish seventh and move from fifth to fourth in the Forester record books.

Childs and crew now gear up for the Crossroads League Championships slated for May 5-6 at the University of Notre Dame.