MVC Outdoor Track & Field Championships Final Results

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (May 13, 2018) – Junior Kevin White defended his men's 800m run title from a year ago as part of a day that saw the Loyola University Chicago track & field teams record four podium finishes to wrap up the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.
 
Loyola's men accumulated 53 points to finish in seventh place in the team standings, while the Rambler women took sixth with 41 points.  Northern Iowa (170 points) held off pre-championship favorite Illinois State (169 points) for the men's team title.  The Redbirds (191.5 points) cruised to victory in the women's team race, finishing 31.5 points in front of second-place Southern Illinois (160 points).
 
"It was a very memorable MVC Championships for us," Loyola head track & field coach Bob Thurnhoffer commented.  "We racked up plenty of podium finishes.  Lindsey (Brewis) and Emma (Hatch) were sensational in the 5,000m run, while Kevin completely dominated the field in the 800m run.  Our men's 4x400m relay was absolutely unreal, finishing third with an incredible 3:10.96.  It's exciting to see new faces break into the scoring with Rita (Maurais), Demetri (Panici) and Nick (Prajka) all chipping in.  We have put up some great marks this year all across the board.  We'll head to the regional meet next and then on to the summer to regroup for what should be a very exciting season next year!"
 
White became the fourth Rambler in the last five seasons to claim the league's outdoor 800m run crown on a blistering afternoon in Terre Haute.  The Wooster, Ohio native surged across in 1:50.09 to claim the third overall conference title of his career.  Redshirt senior Nicholas Prajka (1:53.89) and sophomore Demetri Panici (1:59.52) came in fifth and seventh, respectively, behind White.  Panici also put points on the board in the 1,500m run final, where he came in sixth at 3:54.78.  Redshirt senior Alex Baker closed out his career with a seventh-place finish (15:10.54) in the 5,000m run. 
 
"Kevin was again dominant today as he won and defended his 800m run title," Loyola assistant coach Mircea Bogdan said.  "He did exactly what we talked about before the race and I could not be more proud of him.  Nick was phenomenal all weekend.  What a way to end a career.  Demetri also had an amazing weekend.  To be able to make two finals is special and something that doesn't happen often.  Our middle-distance program was well represented this weekend and we hope to keep it going."
 
Redshirt junior Lindsey Brewis and senior Emma Hatch both took home All-MVC accolades in the 5,000m run.  Brewis earned a runner-up finish with a time of 17:16.06, while Hatch, who captured the Valley's 10,000m run title to open the weekend on Friday, came in third at 17:22.51.  In the women's 1,500m run, senior Cassie Bloch capped off her collegiate career with by finishing fourth after a run of 4:31.24.  Sophomore Rita Maurais also scored for the Maroon & Gold in the event by virtue of a seventh-place finish (4:37.76).
 
"It was a fitting end to have Lindsey and Emma finish next to each other on the podium," Loyola assistant coach Alan Peterson said.  "In championship distance running, anything can happen so I was proud of the way that they competed, especially in such tough conditions.  I'm looking forward to what they can both do in two weeks at the regional meet."
 
Loyola's men's 4x400m relay of senior Samuel Urben, juniors Leron Norton and Elijah Olige and sophomore Michael Edwards closed out the weekend with an impressive showing in the event.  The quartet recorded a season-best time of 3:10.96, the ninth fastest mark in program history, to claim a third-place finish.  Earlier in the day, Norton and Edwards saw action in the 4x100m relay, where they teamed up with sophomore Michael Papper and freshman Tyler Elmore to take fifth in 41.27.  Edwards (48.27) and Olige (48.71) also contributed to the team score in the 400m dash finals, finishing sixth and seventh.
 
In the field, the Ramblers were led by senior Stephen Hubona on the final day of competition.  Hubona unleashed a top toss of 153-08 (46.85m) to finish eighth in the discus throw.
 
Loyola will now wait for the results of several other conference meets being contested this weekend to see which of its athletes will qualify for the NCAA West Regional, May 24-26, in Sacramento, Calif.