DECATUR, Ill. & NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's track and field teams competed at the Big Blue Alumni Invite hosted by Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. Friday, March 29. Seven Titans claimed event wins and a trio of IWU throwers opened the first day of Illinois State University's Redbird Challenge with personal-best efforts. Day two of the Redbird Challenge will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 30. 

Junior Alex Harvey (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg) had a full slate at the Big Blue Alumni Invite as he picked up the event win in the 400-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 55.49 seconds. His time currently ranks fourth in IWU laurels and among the top-20 in Division III. Harvey also took third in the 110-meter hurdles (15.78) and second in the 4-by-400-meter relay (3:22.20) alongside relay teammates freshman Reece Dusek, and sophomores Joe Freedman (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville), and Seth Hamerski (Mount Vernon, Ill.-Webber). Hamerski also competed in the 1500-meter run, clocking a 4:19.85 for third place. 

Facing arguably the toughest feat in track and field, sophomore Zach Marquardt (Minneapolis, Minn.-Washburn) raced the entirety of the men's 3000-meter steeplechase as the sole competitor, clocking a 10:36.69 time to stay within seven seconds of his personal best from a season ago. Sophomore Jahari Scott (Lake Bluff, Ill.-Lake Forest) rounds out the top-three finishers on the men's side as he placed second in the 100-meter dash in a time of 10.94 seconds. 

The women's team posted five first-place finishes at the Big Blue Alumni Invite led by junior Emma McGrath (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park) who turned in the first event win of her collegiate career in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 5:05.61. Senior Avery Smith (Naperville, Ill.-Naperville North) ran away with a win in the 100-meter dash after turning in a 12.46-second effort. Taking the 5,000-meter run victory in dominating fashion, senior Amanda Wilson (Minooka, Ill.-Minooka) finished almost a minute ahead of the next closest competitor while clocking a personal-best time of 19:02.38 to open her outdoor campaign. Sophomore Jordynn Griffin (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) strung together a pair of event wins in Decatur as she clocked the fastest times in the 200-meter dash field (26.25) and the 4-by-400-meter relay (4:11.97) alongside teammates sophomore Bella Gonzalez (Itasca, Ill.-Lake Park), senior Jules Grunloh (Towanda, Ill,-Lexington), and freshman Peyton Stinger (Wonder Lake, Ill.-McHenry Community).

Stinger also finished as the runner-up in the 800-meter dash with a time of 2:25.70 while senior Tori Burke (Clinton, Ill.-Clinton) placed second in the 200-meter dash (26.91). Turning in third place finishes for the Titans' women's squad were Gonzalez in the 200-meter dash (26.94), Grunloh in the 400-meter dash (1:03.24), sophomore Brooke Nazos (Batavia, Ill.-Batavia) in the 1,500-meter run (5:11.12), and sophomore Abby Quinn (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) in the 5,000-meter run (20:29.10).

All three Titan throwers that competed in the hammer throw at Redbird Challenge on Friday achieved personal-best marks in the event. Junior Carlyssa King (Decatur, Ill.-Forsyth-Maroa) placed fifth on the women's side with a 46.85m (153'8") throw to rank 18th in Division III and fifth all-time for IWU. Junior CJ Ladewig (Palos Heights, Ill.-Stagg) finished fourth in the men's hammer throw with a toss of 49.33m (161'10") to rank 24th in the nation and fifth on the program's all-times list. Fellow junior Sam Hea (Quincy, Ill,-Quincy) finished 13th overall in the Division I-heavy field with a career best 35.98m (118'0") throw. 

A larger Titan squad will return to ISU Saturday morning, March 29 as the Redbird Challenge continues with its field events at 10 a.m. and begins events on the track at 11:55 a.m. Live results of the meet can be found here as well as on iwusports.com/coverage. 

IWU Individual Results
* Indicates personal-best performance
# IWU top-10 program history (PH) performance 

Big Blue Alumni Invite
Men's 100m 
2. Jahari Scott 10.94
4. Tyrice Bender 11.07
5. Joe Freedman 11.13
6. Muhammad Freeman 11.14
9. Bryce Hess 11.44

Women's 100m
1. Avery Smith 12.46
6. Olivia Skibinski 12.84
8. Katarina Petrovic 12.87
10. Tori Burke 13.09
11. Davion Lemon 13.31

Men's 110m Hurdles
3. Alex Harvey 15.78
4. Matt Hyland 16.35
6. Quenten Fisher 16.90
10. Ashtin Elder 18.62

Women's 200m
1. Jordynn Griffin 26.25
2. Tori Burke 26.91
3. Bella Gonzalez 26.94 *
6. Davion Lemon 27.15
9. Carly Edwards 27.73
10. Jules Grunloh 28.01

Men's 400m
4. Noah Sadowski 51.06
5. Luke Alberstett 52.44 

Women's 400m
3. Jules Grunloh 1:03.24
6. Carly Edwards 1:04.56

Men's 400m Hurdles
1. Alex Harvey 55.49 * # 4th PH

Men's 800m
5. Matt Lunsford 2:10.12
8. Angel Macias 2:23.13

Women's 800m
2. Peyton Stinger 2:25.70

Men's 1500m
3. Seth Hamerski 4:19.85
5. Ernie Waterson 4:21.57 * 
8. Aidan Nishimura 4:25.68
16. Lukas Rico 4:51.36
18. Griffin Owens 5:14.91

Women's 1500m
1. Emma McGrath 5:05.61
3. Brooke Nazos 5:11.12
4. Nile Doucette 5:11.27 *
6. Skyler Tomecki 5:23.99
11. Madison Negele 6:09.64 *
16. Lauren Lilienthall 6:51.49

Men's 3000m Steeplechase
1. Zach Marquardt 10:36.69 

Women's 5000m
1. Amanda Wilson 19:02.38 *
3. Abby Quinn 20:29.10 *
7. Nora Robinson 22:33.44

Men's 5000m
4. Josh Tong 16:32.02

Men's 4x400m relay
2. R. Dusek, J. Freedman, S. Hamerski, A. Harvey 3:22.20
3. T. Bender, E. Lowder, E. Waterson, J. Weber 3:22.83

Women's 4x400m relay
1. B. Gonzalez, J. Grunloh, P. Stinger, J. Griffin 4:11.97


Redbird Challenge
Women's Hammer Throw
5. Carlyssa King 46.85m, 153'8" * # 5th PH

Men's Hammer Throw
4. CJ Ladewig 49.33m, 161'10" * # 5th PH
13. Sam Hea 35.98m, 118'0" *