MVC Indoor Results Through Saturday

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (February 24, 2018) – Redshirt junior Lindsey Brewis laid claim to the 5,000m run title to highlight three podium finishes for the Loyola University Chicago track & field teams on the opening day of the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships today in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
 
"Overall, we had a tremendous first day at the MVC Championships," Loyola head track & field coach Bob Thurnhoffer said.  "We're well ahead of where we were last year at this time and we have a lot of athletes in finals tomorrow!"
 
Brewis, who took home medalist honors at the conference cross country meet back on October 28, edged out Indiana State's Taylor Austin (17:16.33) to take become Loyola's first MVC Champion in the event as she crossed in 17:16.33.  Senior Emma Hatch also scored for the Ramblers, taking third in 17:24.57.  In the men's 5,000m run, redshirt senior Alex Baker checked in at 15:02.22 to finish eighth.
 
"The race was very strategic and both Lindsey and Emma ran it perfectly," Loyola assistant coach Alan Peterson commented.  "I'm really proud of their efforts and am excited to see what happens tomorrow."
 
In the field, sophomore Eric Burns, fresh off of a fourth-place finish in the long jump at last season's indoor league meet, landed a top leap of 24-05.00 (7.44m) to claim second overall in the event.
 
"Eric came through when it counted the most," Thurnhoffer continued.  "Learning how to compete in the thick of championship competition is one of the key indicators of elite performance.  Eric showed his growth today, coming in a close second place in the long jump.  It's great for our program as he becomes the ninth MVC podium finisher in the horizontal jumps since we arrived in the conference in 2014."
 
Seven Ramblers punched tickets to Sunday's finals in preliminary heats today inside the UNI Dome.  The trio of seniors Cassie Bloch (5:00.66) and Sophie Meads (5:08.42) and sophomore Rita Maurais (5:01.19) all advanced on in the mile run.  On the men's side of the mile run, freshman Emmanuel Champagne moved on, claiming at at-large berth to Sunday with a time of 4:18.27. 

Junior Natajah Simmons was one of three Ramblers to clock a personal-best time in the 200m dash preliminaries, where she secured her spot on Sunday with a time of 7.56.  In the men's sprinting events, sophomore Octavian Wells and freshman Tyler Elmore will both make their respective MVC finals debuts.  Wells qualified in the 200m dash after crossing in 21.89, while Elmore continued to impress as he won his heat of the 60m dash with a personal-best time of 6.83 that moves him to third on Loyola's all-time indoor record board in the event. 

"Tyler, Natajah and Octavian were all phenomenal today and really turned it on when it counted," Loyola assistant coach Jon DeGrave said.  "All three have had really solid seasons and I'm very happy for them to get such big breakthrough performances."
 
Loyola's Distance Medley Relay squads both put points on the board to close out the first day of competition.  The women's quartet of junior Emily Karl, Maurais and fellow sophomore Laura Bestul, and freshman Lauren Kroll claimed sixth in 12:25.51 before the men's tandem of redshirt senior Nicholas Prajka, juniors Brady McCue and Leron Norton, and sophomore Riley DeMeulenaere tuned in a time of 10:10.24 to finish fourth.
 
Action on the final day of the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.  Live coverage on The Valley on ESPN3 will begin at 1:15 p.m.