(INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Feb. 24) – The McKendree University men's and women's track and field teams competed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend. The men's team finished in second place with 125 points while the women's team placed fifth with 43.50 points.

McKendree earned three first place finishes, three second place finishes, and three third place finishes. The men's team earned eight of the medal finishes while the women's team placed in one event.

Senior DeMontez McCray (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) and the men's 4x400 meter relay team garnished gold medals after placing first in their perspective events. McCray earned first place in the men's 60-meter dash with a final time of 6.86 as well as first place in the men's 200-meter dash for the second year in a row with a final time of 21.71 seconds. Then, seniors Allen, McCray, Andrew Gardewine (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony), and Tyler Johnson (South Holland, IL/St. Rita of Cascia) placed first in the 4x400 meter relay with a final time of 3:22.85.

Second place finishes for the Bearcats were Allen in the 200-meter dash and in the 60-meter dash, then senior Quincy McSweeney (Eureka, IL/Eureka) in the women's 800-meter dash. Allen earned second place with a time of 22.38 in the 200- meter dash and second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.90. McSweeney earned second place in the 800-meter dash after crossing the finish line at 2:14.87.

McKendree earned third place in the men's high jump, 60-meter dash, and the 400-meter dash. Freshman Torrey Deal placed third in the high jump with a 1.99m leap. Sophomore Najee Sylvester (Markham, IL/Hillcrest) earned third place in the 60-meter dash after crossing the finish line at 7.00 seconds even. Lastly, senior Andrew Gardewine (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) finished in third place in the 400-meter dash with a new personal best time of 50.22.

The Bearcats also had two athletes earn the Spalding Sportsmanship awards. Sophomore Zach Llewellyn (Alton, IL/Alton) was awarded on behalf of the men's team and Senior Leah Kloss (Grayslake, IL/Grayslake Central) earned the award for the women's track and field team.