CHARLESTON, Ill. - The McKendree University men's track and field team began the 2025 calendar year competing at the John Craft Invite. 

In the 60m freshman Muthanna Yogendra placed fourth in the 60m finals with a 7.00. 

Yogendra also led the way in the 200m with a time of 23.50. Freshman Kaleb Tucker placed 11th with a time of 23.92. 

The 600m saw junior Roemello Byndloss place second with a time of 1:28:80, and freshman Jevor Murray placed third with 1:27.17. 

Freshman Brenton Good ran 2:12.02 in the 800m.  

The mile saw Diego Paz Denis run a new personal best in the with a time of 4:26.63 (4.23.27#). 

The 3000m saw graduate Michael Hayeck and junior Blake Westrater both ran new personal bests of 9:23.27 (9:16.80#) and 9:24.42 (9.17.93#).

Tucker also placed second in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.47, a personal best. 

The 4x400m relay placed first and third with times of 3:27.42, and 3:36:24. The A team sophomore Matthew Chandler, junior Romello Byndloss, Denis, and Murray.

Freshman Kierson Wicks placed second with a leap of 6'6.75" (2.00m) and Greff placed ninth with a mark of 5' 10.75" (1.80m). 

Sophomore Jordan Tucker placed third in the triple jump with a mark of 42' 9.5" (13.04). 

Senior Matthew Wilson placed fourth in both the shotput and weight throw with marks of 43' 1.5" (13.14) and 45' 8.5" (13.93m) respectively.  

"The Bearcats were a little rusty from a long cold winter break; however they still managed to make some marks at EIU." Head track and field coach Barry Ford. 

The Bearcats are back in action next Fri. Jan.24 at Illinois Wesleyan University.