INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The McKendree University men's and women's track and field programs opened their 2022-23 indoor season here Saturday by competing at the University of Indianapolis Indoor Opener held at the ARC (Athletics & Recreation Center) on the UIndy campus.
Between the men and women's teams, the Bearcats recorded 15 Top 5 finishes, including four different Bearcats (two women and two men) winning individual event titles. All of McKendree's times at Saturday's event were NCAA Division II provisional marks/times.
On the women's side, the Bearcats had four Top 5 finishes, including two individual event wins. The first event win came in the mile run as freshman Colleen Zinke (Maryville, Ill./Collinsville) recorded a first place time of 6:56.61, while the second event win came in the 3,000 meter run as freshman Lacey Laxton (Coal Valley, Ill./Geneseo) took home first place with a time of 12:19.73.
Junior Ndia Johnson (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) was second in the weight throw with a toss of 16.02 meters (52'6.75") and McKendree was fourth in the 4-x-400 relay as they ran a time of 4:24.07. The members of the relay team were freshman Tori King (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West), freshman Laila Toms (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West), freshman Azia Douglas (Cahokia Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) and Laxton.
Sophomore Reagan Lucas (Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg) was 10th in the 800 meters with a time 2:32.10, while King was eighth in the triple jump with a leap of 9.76 meters (32'0.25").
Meanwhile, on the men's side, the Bearcats had 11 Top 5 finishes, including two event wins. The first event win came in the mile run as freshman John Bush (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) recorded a first place time of 4:32.58, while the second event came in the 60 meter hurdles as senior Johnathan Bumpers (Alton, Ill./Alton) posted a time of 8.66. Along with Bumpers, sophomore Kai Toolie (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) was fifth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.01.
The Bearcats also had three runner-up finishes as freshman David Richard (Wentzville, Mo./Liberty) was second in the 200 meters with a time of 23.03, while sophomore Brendan Harter (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet Jesuit) was second in the high jump with a leap of 1.90 meters (6'2.75") and McKendree was second in the 4-x-400 relay with time of 3:31.31. The members of the runner-up relay team were Bush, junior Oshawi Burgher (Kingston, Jamaica/Excelsior), freshman Roemello Byndloss (Kingston, Jamaica/Holmwood Tech) and Bumpers.
Along with winning the 60-meter hurdles, Bumpers was also third in the long jump with a leap of 6.45 meters (21'2").
In addition to Bush's win in the mile run, the Bearcats also went third and fourth as junior Seth Kasinger (Pekin, Ill./Pekin Community) was third with a time of 4:49.55 and freshman Blake Westrater (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) was fourth with a time of 4:53.84.
Burgher placed fourth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:05.19, while Richard qualified for the finals in the 60-meter dash as he ran a time of 7.16. In the preliminaries, Richard was fifth in his heat with a time of 7.14.
McKendree's 'B' 4-x-400 relay team placed fifth with a time of 3.37.70. The members of the 'B' Relay Team were freshman Holden Hutchcraft (Pinckneyville, Ill./Pinckneyville), junior Emmanuel Segbedzi (Accra, Ghana), Kasinger and freshman George Safo (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee).
The Bearcats will return to the track next Friday, Dec. 9 as they compete at the EIU Early Bird Invitational hosted by Eastern Illinois University and held in Charleston, Ill.
Complete results from Saturday's UIndy Indoor Opener
WOMEN'S RESULTS
60-meter dash (Prelims)
16. Toms, 8.35
19. Madison Davis, 8.44
25. King, 8.66
200-meter dash
14. Toms, 27.74
21. King, 28.61
24. Douglas, 30.30
800-meter dash
10, Lucas, 2:32.10
Mile run
1. Zinke, 6:56.61
3,000 meters
1. Laxton, 12:19.73
60-meter hurdles (Prelims)
9. Douglas, 11.79
4-x-400 relay
4. McKendree 'A' – 4:24.07 (King, Toms, Douglas, Laxton)
Triple jump
8. King, 9.76 meters (32'0.25")
Weight Throw
2. Johnson, 16.02 meters (52'6.75")
MEN'S RESULTS
60-meter dash (Finals)
7. Richard, 7.16
60-meter dash (Prelims)
5. Richard, 7.14
16. Safo, 7.34
22. Alex Hauck, 7.43
26. Hutchcraft, 7.46
28. Dorian Foster, 7.50
36. Julian Juszczyk, 7.63
42. Mason Young, 7.97
200-meter dash
2. Richard, 23.03
7. Safo, 23.72
9. Hutchcraft, 23.97
15. Hauck, 24.48
17. Juszczyk, 24.66
19. Foster, 24.87
20. Toolie, 24.95
31. Young, 27.71
400-meter dash
20. Byndloss, 57.64
800-meter dash
4. Burgher, 2:05.19
7. Caleb Kickham, 2:23.61
Mile run
1. Bush, 4:32.58
3. Kasinger, 4:49.55
4. Westrater, 4:53.84
7. Braden Voss, 5:44.17
60-meter hurdles
1. Bumpers, 8.66
5. Toolie, 9.01
4-x-400 relay
2. McKendree 'A' – 3:31.31 (Bush, Burgher, Bumpers, Byndloss)
5. McKendree 'B' – 3:37.70 (Hutchcraft, Segbedzi, Kasinger, Safo)
High jump
2. Harter, 1.90 meters (6'2.75")
Long jump
3. Bumpers, 6.45 meters (21'2")
