Contact: Anna Fox, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, amfox@noctrl.edu
Apr. 26, 2025 - The North Central College men's track and field team sent a group of athletes to the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa (Apr.24 - 26). On Friday, Apr. 25, the rest of the program was competing at the Elmhurst University Twilight Invitational.
The Cardinal athletes went to the Drake Relays to compete in multiple relays: the 5,000-meter run, the 3,000-meter steeplechase, the hammer, and the high jump. The North Central's 4-by-100-meter relay featured
Marcus Caselberry,
Randall Reed,
Brian Jackson, and
Alexander Knight. The 4-by-100 relay finished the preliminary relay at No. 10 with a time of 41.55 seconds. Their time ties for No. 10 in the program's top ten records. In the 5,000-meter run (Open),
Connor Riss punched a No. 11 finish, posting a time of 14:49.08.
Owen Dare,
Arturo Martinez,
Logan Skidmore, and
Jacob Everix represented the Cardinals in the distance medley. The athletes earned No. 11 in the event, clocking a finish of 10:12.29. In the hammer throw,
Anthony Zajac threw for 55.59 meters (182' 4") to place at No. 14. North Central's 4-by-400-meter relay of
Gabe Parker, Caselberry,
Keydric Fulton-Wilson, and Martinez finished in the No. 22 position with a time of 3:20.20.
Skidmore,
Ian Regur,
Logan Keeling, and
Brayden Groenenboom teamed up for the 4-by-800-meter relay. They finished at No. 19 with a time of 7:57.78. The Cardinals 4-by-1600-meter relay team of
Aidan Armstrong, Dare, Regur, and Hoffman finished at 17:48.18 to take No. 10.
Luke Hoffmanntook No. 37 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:55.63).
Colton Oleson competed in the high jump but unfortunately scratched in his jumps.
Meanwhile, back in Elmhurst, Ill., the Cardinals saw 14 top-three finishes on the day.
Kamil Kokot notched the team's only win of the day. Kokot earned first place in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking a 14.99 finish.
Daniel Nwatu followed behind his teammate in second (15.34). In the 400-meter hurdles,
Luke Moran also earned second place with a 58.76 finish.
On the track, the Cardinals took second and third in both the 3,000-meter run and the 3,000-meter steeplechase. In the run,
Emerald Svienty posted an 8:39.87 finish, with
Matt Jett on his tail, finishing the event in 8:45.88.
Austin Wesley earned a second-place finish in the steeplechase (9:57.68), while
Tyler Schick finished just .2 of a second behind Wesley in third place.
In the hammer throw, the program saw a new top-ten performance.
Martin Egbo's toss of 48.23 meters (150' 11") earned second place and closed out the top ten records.
Gavin McAlister took third after marking a throw of 47.64 meters (156' 3").
Ben Balboa earned second-place finishes in both the discus (46.01m, 150'11") and the shot put (14.48m, 47' 6.25").
Daniel Dominguez followed Balboa in third place in both events. Dominguez posted a throw of 43.55 meters (142' 10") in the discus and 14.29 meters (46' 10.25") in the shot put.
The Cardinals host the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships next Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, in Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. Events begin at 9:50 a.m. Friday and 9:20 a.m. Saturday.
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