(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 21)—Seven McKendree University men’s track and field athletes posted top-10 finishes Saturday at the Saluki Invitational in Carbondale, Ill. The meet marked the first competition for McKendree in the 2008 indoor season.

 

Senior Julius Williams (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville) was the only Bearcat squad member to earn multiple top-10 showings in the meet. He was third in the triple jump with a distance of 46 feet, 3 ¼ inches. Williams also took eighth in the long jump at 21 feet, 11 ¾ inches.

 

Senior Christopher Bethel (Nassau, Bahamas/St. Augustine) (Nassau, Bahamas) had the highest finish at the meet for McKendree. Bethel was second in the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.22 seconds. Sophomore John Curulewski (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) grabbed eighth in the pole vault. He cleared a height of 13 feet, 7 ¼ inches. Earning eighth place in the 400-meter dash was senior Keron Thomas (Port More St. Catherine/Kingston College) (St. Catharine, Jamaica) with a time of 50.62 seconds.

 

In the 60-meter dash, senior Dominique Jones (St. Louis, Ill./Hazelwood Central) (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) and sophomore Jordan Perry (Springfield, Ill./Lanphier) (Springfield, Ill./Lanphier) finished in a tie for ninth place. Each posted an identical time of 7.11 seconds.

 

The McKendree men’s 4 x 400-meter relay team took fifth place with a time of 3:28.98.

 

The Bearcats will return to action Friday and Saturday at the Gladstein Invitational in Bloomington, Ind. The meet is hosted by Indiana University.