KENOSHA, Wis. – The Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's track and field teams combined for four event wins and 25 All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin performances on Saturday, March 1, as they secured top-three finishes in the conference championships. The IWU men finished second overall with 118 points, while the women earned third place with 77 points. Freshman Nick Walker (Metamora, Ill.-Metamora) was named the CCIW Men's First-Year Field Student-Athlete of the Meet.

North Central won the men's competition with 198 points, while Elmhurst's women's team claimed its first conference championship title in school history.

Senior Abby Quinn (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) and freshman Jack Demakis (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge) were named IWU's CCIW RESPECT Award recipients.

Walker had a standout performance in the men's high jump, where he and sophomore Matt Lindberg (Springfield, Ill.-Glenwood) swept the top two spots. Lindberg cleared 1.99m (6'6.25") to finish as runner-up and earned All-CCIW honors. Walker, coming into the competition as the No. 3 seed with a previous best of 1.95m, achieved four personal-best clearances to win the event. His winning jump of 2.05m (6'8.75") ranks third in program history and ties for 11th nationally in Division III this season.

Junior Evan Lowder (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) claimed his third consecutive 400m championship with a time of 48.88 seconds, and was the only competitor in the 29-person field to break 50 seconds. His time currently ranks in the top 25 nationally, at 24th. Sophomores Reece Dusek (Peoria, Ill.-Dunlap) and Luke Alberstett (Roscoe, Ill.-Hononegah) also earned All-CCIW honors in the event, finishing sixth (50.56) and eighth (52.02), respectively.

After finishing second in the women's mile (5:01.62) earlier in the day, junior Adriana Crabtree (Normal, Ill.-University High) came back strong in the 3,000m run. She broke away from the pack early with Augustana's Emma Odle, and used a strong final 400m to pull ahead and claim her second CCIW title in the 3,000m. Crabtree's time of 10:05.07 set a personal best by 10 seconds and ranks second in program history. Senior Annalese Chudy (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville) also earned All-CCIW honors with a fourth-place finish (10:33.43).

In the men's 4-by-400m relay, the team of Lowder, Dusek, Walker, and Harvey battled Millikin's squad for the top spot throughout the race. Going into the final leg, Millikin held the lead, but Dusek closed the gap and outpaced the Big Blue anchor down the stretch, leading the Titans to victory with a time of 3:20.33. IWU's time ranks second in program history. 

Dusek, Harvey, and Walker each earned three All-CCIW honors over the weekend. In addition to the 400m and the relay, Dusek finished seventh in the 200m (22.70). Harvey earned All-CCIW honors in both the 55m hurdles (8.03) and the 55m dash (6.50), finishing fourth and sixth, respectively.

Junior Joe Freedman (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville) also earned All-CCIW honors in the 55m dash with a seventh-place finish (6.55), while senior Bobby Mogged (Piper City, Ill.-Tri-Point) and freshman Kamden Reynolds (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) earned All-CCIW honors in the 55m hurdles, finishing fifth (8.10) and sixth (8.28), respectively.

Senior Ernie Waterson (Bloomington, Ill.-Cornerstone Christian Academy) kicked down multiple runners in the final 200m of the men's mile to place second with a time of 4:17.69, the second-fastest in program history, and earned All-CCIW honors.

Sophomore Imani Ogunribido (Hanover Park, Ill.-Lake Park) claimed two All-CCIW honors, finishing second in the triple jump (11.95m, 39'2.50") and fifth in the 55m dash (7.26). Freshman Alex Reinhart (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) earned a runner-up finish in the women's 800m (2:16.40) and her second All-CCIW honor of the weekend after running a key leg of the champion distance medley relay team.

Other third-place finishers included Sam Okewole (Tinley Park, Ill.-Tinley Park) in the men's triple jump, who improved his No. 6 mark in program history to 13.88m (45'6.50"), and freshman Jacob Pinkston (Tinley Park, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) in the 800m (1:57.47).

Additional All-CCIW honors on day two went to senior Emma McGrath (Oak Lawn, Ill.-Oak Lawn) in the mile (5:18.22), Matthew Wagner (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) in the shot put (14.31m, 46'11.50"), junior Jordynn Griffin (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) in the women's 400m (59.35), and freshman Keagan Uphoff (McLean, Ill.-Olympia) in the high jump (1.88m, 6'2"). Wagner, Griffin, and Uphoff all set career-bests in their respective events.

The Illinois Wesleyan track and field teams now turn their attention to last-chance qualifier meets next weekend, March 7-8, at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Wartburg College, as they look to secure national qualifying marks.

Individual IWU Results
^ All-CCIW performance

Men's 55m hurdles finals
4. Alex Harvey 8.03 ^
5. Bobby Mogged 8.10 ^
6. Kamden Reynolds 8.28 ^

Men 55m finals
6. Alex Harvey 6.50 ^
7. Joe Freedman 6.55 ^ 

Women 55m finals
5. Imani Ogunribido 7.26 ^

Men 200m
7. Reece Dusek 22.70 ^
12. Jaden Preston 23.01
15. Joe Freedman 23.11
16. Danny Crawford 23.18

Women 200m
14. Olivia Skibinski 26.90
20. Davion Lemon 27.45
22. Caroline Hill 27.55
24. Carly Edwards 27.75

Men 400m
1. Evan Lowder 48.88 ^
5. Reece Dusek 50.56 ^
8. Luke Alberstett 52.02 ^

Women 400m
6. Jordynn Griffin 59.35 ^
10. Bella Gonzalez 1:00.69

Men 800m
3. Jacob Pinkston 1:57.47 ^
10. Aidan Nishimura 1:59.71
14. Ernie Waterson 2:01.87

Women 800m
2. Alex Reinhart 2:16.40 ^
11. Peyton Stinger 2:27.37
16. Emma McGrath 2:29.80
17. Skyler Tomecki 2:30.01

Men mile
2. Ernie Waterson 4:17.69 ^
12. Zack Daniel 4:27.98
14. Zach Marquardt 4:30.12

Women mile
2. Adriana Crabtree 5:01.62 ^
4. Emma McGrath 5:18.22 ^

Women's 3000m
1.Adriana Crabtree 10:05.47 ^
4. Annalese Chudy 10:33.43 ^

Men 3000m
22. Zack Daniel 9:12.18
24. Zach Marquardt 9:14.12

Men high jump
1. Nick Walker 2.05m, 6'8.75" ^
2. Matt Lindberg 1.99m, 6'6.25" ^
6. Keagan Uphoff 1.88m, 6'2" ^

Women high jump
12. Evelyn Wilson 1.50m, 4'11"

Women shot put
16. Lauryn Moore 10.79m, 35'4.75"
17. Carlyssa King 10.75m, 35'3.25"

Men shot put
5. Matthew Wagner 14.31m, 46'11.50" ^

Women triple jump
2. Imani Ogunribido 11.95m, 39'2.50" ^
11. Franchesca Smith 10.60m, 34'9.25"
22. Sarah Polley 9.82m, 32'3.50"

Men triple jump
3. Sam Okewole 13.88m, 45'6.50' ^
16. Kyler Williams 12.08m, 39.50"

Men 4x400
1. E. Lowder, A. Harvey, N. Walker, R. Dusek 3:20.33 ^