(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 13) – The McKendree University Track and Field teams sent eight athletes to Grand Valley State University Friday to compete in the Big Meet in Allendale, MI. before heading to Indianapolis, IN. Saturday for the Tom Hathaway Distance Carnival hosted by the University of Indianapolis.

The Bearcats competed against an array of Division I and Division II programs in one of the largest meets of the year.

Senior Irma Maciukaite (Pasvalys, Lithuania/Petro Vileisio Gymnasiumq) had the top finish for McKendree as she hit a personal best and provisional standard in the 60-meter hurdles finishing in second place out of a field of 38 runners. Her time of 8.61 seconds left her just one hundredth of a second from capturing a first place finish and vaulted her up to the 11th fastest time in the country as of Friday, setting a new school record.

Freshman Quincy McSweeney (Eureka, IL/Eureka) hit a provisional standard in the 800-meter with a time 2:12.86 taking home a fifth place finish out of 46 runners. McSweeney improved her personal best time by nearly four seconds and currently sits at the 10^th fastest time in the country as of Friday.

Junior Karis Johnson (Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence Central) and sophomore Mollie Bowman (Sullivan, IL/Sullivan) joined Maciukaite and McSweeney in the 4x400-meter relay coming in tenth place.

On the men's side freshman Lafayette Waters (Murrieta, CA/Murrieta Valley) placed fourth in the Long Jump with a distance of 6.64-meters. Sophomore Alex McCrite (Tamms, IL/Egyptian) landed a top ten finish in the High Jump soaring a height of 1.98-meters.

Freshman Demontez McCray (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) placed 15th in the 200-meter.