LISLE, Ill. - Battling heavy winds on the track level on the Benedictine University campus, the Ashford University men's track and field team competed at the Eagle Invitational over the weekend.
Earning two top-three finishes as the meet was sophomore A.J. Smith of Port Byron, Ill. Smith, who competed at the NAIA Indoor Nationals in the high jump earlier this year, cleared 1.93 meters (6'3") to finish second in the event. Smith also set a new personal record and took third place in the javelin throw after a launch of 49.41 meters (162'1").
In the 110-meter hurdles, freshman Christian ‘Ed' Awah of Willow Springs, Ill., posted the fourth best preliminary time of 15.33. In the finals, Awah fought his way through the win to a second-place finish with a time of 15.63.
Awah (59.31) and sophomore Ademola Are of Hazel Crest, Ill., (1:01.05) also competed in the 400-meter hurdles where they earned seventh and 12th place, respectively.
Sophomore Austin Gilbert of Peoria, Ill., ran the second fastest preliminary time in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.61, qualifying him for the finals. The brisk wind down on the track was present during the final, as Gilbert dropped two spots to finish fourth, crossing the line in 11.79.
Are (12.11) and senior Caleb Snyder of Winnebago, Ill., (12.39) competed in the 100-meter dash as well, finishing 20th and 28th, respectively.
Gilbert and Snyder the track again in the 400-meter dash as Gilbert finished seventh with a time of 51.70 while Snyder's time of 52.60 was good for 14th place.
Snyder would also post a 23rd-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 5.84 meters (19'1").
With a time of 2:06.17, junior Andrew Drinkall of Hoopole, Ill., finished 20th in the 800-meter run while freshman teammate Patrick McClain of Gary, Ind., posted a time 35th-best time of 2:12.67.
Drinkall and McClain also competed together in the 1,500-meter run. With a time of 4:23.88, Drinkall completed the near-mile race in 23rd place while McClain grabbed 33rd place, finishing in a time of 4:31.45.
Freshman Mizael Carrera of Franklin Park, Ill., earned ninth place honors in the 5,000-meter run after crossing the finish line in 16.18.31.
Freshman Jaryd Prince of Clinton hurled his way to sixth place honors in the shot put after a toss of 13.36 meters (43'9").
In the discus throw, freshman Joe Snyder of Winnebago, Ill., earned ninth place after a throw of 38.97 meters (127'10")
Snyder and Prince threw in the hammer throw as well, as Snyder finished 33rd with a launch of 31.64 meters (103'9") while Prince was 35th after a toss of 30.95 meters (101'6").
Senior Brian Cummings of Clinton took 23rd in the javelin throw with a toss of 38.69 meters (126'11") and 44th-place honors in the hammer throw after a throw of 25.21 meters (82'8").
The Saints travel to Dubuque this weekend for the Loras Open, hosted by Loras College.
