NOTRE DAME, Ind. (January 22, 2022) – Senior Kathleen Simms was victorious in the 3,000m run, highlighting an impressive showing by the Ramblers' distance crews as the Loyola University Chicago track & field teams competed at the Notre Dame Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind. this afternoon.
 
Simms dazzled in posting the top 3,000m run time of her career inside the Loftus Sports Center.  The Louisville, Ky. product was first across the finish line, registering a time of 9:33.28 that was well over a two-second improvement from her previous top effort.  Simms' showing spearheaded the attack for the Rambler women in the event, as Loyola occupied five of the top 16 spots on the final leaderboard, with freshman Nora Wollen (6^th; 9:54.37) and senior Anya Brett (10^th; 10:18.18) also posting new collegiate bests.
 
On the men's side of the 3,000m run, seven Ramblers set new personal bests.  Leading the way was the senior quartet of Nathan Kolbus (3^rd: 8:26.85), Stephen Pipilas (4^th; 8:29.74), Kenny Wallace (5^th; 8:30.59), and Ian Cummings (6^th; 8:31.53), who finished third through sixth, respectively.  In total, eight Ramblers landed in the top 15 in the event, with seniors Sean O'Connell (9^th; 8:33.34), Nick Chudzik (10^th; 8:33.54), and Chantz Visse (11^th; 8:33.94) also posting new personal bests.
 
Loyola's women's side also received multiple standout efforts in the mile run, with eight new personal bests recorded.  Graduate student Tarynn Cullings took more than 10 seconds off her previous top time, racing through in 5:01.44 to claim a ninth-place finish.  Just four seconds behind was graduate student Elizabeth Aho, who checked in 10^th at 5:05.46.  Senior Olivia Orr (13^th; 5:10.36), freshman Kelly Andrews (14^th; 5:11.03), sophomore Fran Hendrickson (15^th; 5:15.24), junior Emma Murray (16^th; 5:16.57), and freshmen Aiden Grasse (18^th; 5:17.08) and Grace Jostock (19^th; 5:20.83) added new personal bests as well.
 
Freshman Gabe Smit took second in his heat of the men's mile run, clocking in at 4:13.74 (8^th).  Fellow freshman Jack Slaughter claimed a runner-up finish in the 800m run, crossing in a personal-best 1:55.29.
 
In the sprinting events, sophomore Jayla Johnson continued her ascent up the program record board in the 60m hurdles, dashing through in 8.96 in a preliminary heat to move to second all-time in Rambler annals.  Sophomore Jevan Terry took just under a tenth of a second off his previous top time in the 60m dash, finishing in 7.03 in preliminary action en route to taking fifth place.  Terry also competed in the 200m dash, where he earned a third-place finish in 22.25.
 
Senior Jana Rokitta took home a runner-up finish in the women's high jump, clearing a top height of 5-05.00 (1.65m).  Also representing the Maroon & Gold in the field was junior Kevin Szczepaniec, who used a top leap of 44-03.50 (13.50m) to place third in the men's triple jump.
 
After being idle next weekend, Loyola heads back to Notre Dame, Ind. for the Meyo Invitational, February 4-5.