(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 19)—The McKendree University men's track and field team collected its second straight American Midwest Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship crown on Saturday. The Bearcats won the AMC Meet, which was held at the Hearnes Center Complex in Columbia, Mo.

McKendree nearly lapped the field in the final results, winning the meet with a team total of 232 points. William Woods University was the men's runner-up with 120 points, followed closely by Missouri Baptist University with 110 points. Hannibal-LaGrange rounded out the field with 100 points.

For leading the Bearcats to their second consecutive AMC indoor championship, Neal West was honored as the AMC Men's Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year. West has guided McKendree to both of its conference indoor titles, as well as all three AMC outdoor championships.

Individually, McKendree won championships in five different events. Heading the list is sophomore Blake DeLong (Hillsboro, IL/Hillsboro) (Hillsboro, Ill./Hillsboro), who took first place in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:38.04. DeLong was also second in the mile run with an effort of 4:22.55 and was third in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9:42.62.

Sophomore Elkana Kipsang (Eldoret, Kenya/Legebet) (Eldoret, Kenya), like DeLong, grabbed top-three finishes in three distance events. Kipsang won the mile run, crossing the finish line with a time of 4:21.85. He also nabbed second place in the 800-meter run (2:01.36) and the 3,000-meter run (9:42.50).

Freshman Josh Wilhelm (Trenton, IL/Wesclin) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) came through with a first-place effort in the high jump, clearing a height of six feet, three-quarters of an inch. Wilhelm was also third in the 600-meter run with a time of 1:14.85. Sophomore Kendall Nelson (East St. Louis, IL/East St. Louis) (East St. Louis, Ill./East St. Louis) won the triple jump at a distance of 42 feet, half an inch.

Freshman Ryan Todd (Jerseyville, IL/Jerseyville) (Jerseyville, Ill./Jersey Community) grabbed first place in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:00.95. Todd was also fourth in the mile run at 4:40.12. 

Junior Chad Phillip (St. Lucia/Sir Arthur Lewis) (St. Lucia/Sir Arthur Lewis) also earned a pair of All-Conference honors for McKendree. Phillip placed third in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.23 seconds and was also third in the triple jump with a distance of 40 feet, 11 ½ inches. In addition, Phillip was fourth in the long jump with an effort of 19 feet, 10 ¼ inches.

Rounding out the list of top individual finishers for McKendree is junior Jordan Stark (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West). Stark grabbed All-Conference accolades in three different events. He was second in the 400-meter dash in a time of 50.67 seconds and took third in the 200-meter dash at 23.05 seconds.

In the relay events, McKendree placed second in the 4 x 400-meter relay. The Bearcats posted a time of 3:25.31 in the event. McKendree also grabbed third in the distance medley relay with an effort of 11:39.00.

McKendree will now begin preparations for the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships, which will be held March 3-5 in Geneva, Ohio.