STERLING, Ill. - The upstart Ashford University men's track and field squad stamped their impact on the Midwest Collegiate Conference Indoor Championships on Saturday, compiling a myriad of accomplishments at the personal, conference and national levels.
The Saints
finished third among the seven-team field, accumulating 133.5 points.
A total of six (Yerk, Smith, Awah, Drinkall, Gilbert, Barnes) Ashford student-athletes brought home All-MCC honors, representing first place in their respective events. A number of school records crumbled and a handful of MCC Championship standards were also bettered by the Saints.
"For many of the athletes, this was their first experience with this type of atmosphere," said Ashford and MCC Co-Coach of the Year Chris Adams. "The conference meet is so much more intense than any other meet; it's practically a one-day season. And they accomplished what they did because they competed together, as a team, the entire day."
Sophomore A.J. Smith of Port Byron, Ill., and freshman Christian Awah of Willow Springs, Ill., improved from provisional to automatic NAIA qualifiers in high jump (2.03m) and the 55-meter hurdles (7.75 seconds), respectively.
Smith and Awah each set new school records, breaking their own, while providing a new precedent as a conference meet record as they grabbed MCC titles.
Senior Franklin Barnes of Chicago also provisionally qualified for the NAIA Championships in the 55-meter hurdles (7.97 seconds).
Pole vaulters Aaron Yerk of Belvidere, Ill., and Shawn Goodhart of Erie, Ill., combined for 18 points as they took first and second, respectively. Yerk, also the reigning outdoor MCC champion, cleared 4.15m.
Junior Andrew Drinkall of Hooppole, Ill., finished first in the 600-meter run, crossing the line in 1:23.66. He also scored five points in the 400-meter dash (52.16 seconds) and finished with four more points in the 800-meter run (2:05.07).
Sophomore Austin Gilbert of Peoria, Ill., was runner-up in the 400-meter dash (51.11 seconds) and placed third in the 200-meter dash (22.94 seconds).
The Saints' 4x400-meter relay team set a new school record en route to All-MCC honors, clocking in at 3:30.02. The MCC record-breaking time shattered Mt. Mercy's old standard by nearly three seconds.
AU's 4x800-meter relay squad and distance medley relay team each took runner-up.
Senior long jumper Caleb Snyder of Winnebago, Ill., took fifth (6.59m) and freshman NAIA shot put qualifier Spencer Touchie of Hometown, Ill., finished third with a hurl of 15.05. He also brought home two points in weight throw.
Recognized by his peers following the conclusion of the meet, AU Head Coach Chris Adams was named the MCC Co-Coach of the Year along with Dan Tomlin of St. Ambrose. Adams is the second AU staff member to be Named MCC Coach of the Year, joining first-year men's soccer Head Coach Richard Markham.
"This award is really a tribute to the direction of the program," Adams said. "It took an entire coaching staff to get the team to be able to compete at such a high level and Coach (Tyson) Graham played a key role in the recruitment of many of the athletes. But even with all the preparations by the staff, it's still the athletes that win these awards for the coaches."
The Saints wrap up the indoor season competing at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls on Feb. 19 before sending their qualifiers to the NAIA National Championships in Johnson City, Tenn., on March 4-6.
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