CHICAGO (February 28, 2022) – Freshman Jason Clayton and the senior field event duo of Sarah Olojo and Jana Rokitta took home All-MVC accolades as the Loyola University Chicago track & field teams wrapped up action at the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Track & Field Championships in Chicago, Ill. this afternoon inside the Track & Field Center at Gately Park.
 
The Ramblers finished seventh (33 points) and eighth (50 points), respectively, in the men's and women's final team standings, while Indiana State swept the team crowns.
 
Clayton capped off his debut indoor season with a strong showing in the men's 3,000m run.  The Melbourne, Australia product posted a time of 8:03.79, earning a runner-up finish in the event, as each of the top three finishers shattered the previous MVC meet record.  Fresh off a third-place showing in the 5,000m run on Sunday, senior Blake Buysse again scored for the Ramblers, checking in fifth at 8:21.18, while senior Sean O'Connell clocked a personal-best 8:23.78 to take ninth.
 
Seniors Claire Hengesbaugh and Kathleen Simms spearheaded the attack for the Maroon & Gold on the women's side of the 3,000m run.  Hengesbaugh climbed to fourth all-time at Loyola in the event following a run of 9:36.04 as she placed fifth.  Simms, who, like Buysse, also took third in the 5,000m run less than 24 hours earlier, was close behind in sixth with a time of 9:38.67.  Freshman Nora Wollen notched a personal-best of her own in the event, crossing in 9:49.98 (10^th), coming in just 26 one-hundredths of a second back of graduate student Tarynn Cullings (9^th; 9:49.72).
 
Olojo and Rokitta starred in the field events.  Making her first appearance since late January, Olojo unleashed a top leap of 39-03.00 (11.96m) en route to placing second in the women's triple jump.  Rokitta matched her indoor personal best as part of a third-place finish in the women's high jump, clearing 5-06.50 (1.69m) to earn the first All-Valley nod of her career.  Junior Kevin Szczepaniec also scored in the field, placing seventh (44-09.50; 13.65m) in the men's triple jump.
 
Sophomore Jayla Johnson and freshman Cameron Woods wrapped up standout weekends of their own in the sprint finals.  Johnson recorded her second 60m hurdles personal best in as many days, grabbing fifth place in 8.77, a time just two one-hundredths of a second off the program record.  Woods was just as impressive in the men's 60m dash final, notching a third straight personal best as he ascended into a tie for fourth all-time in program history after racing through in 6.86 to secure sixth place.
 
Loyola's 4x400m relay squads both scored to close the meet.  The men's quartet of Woods, juniors Ayoub El-Ashmawi and Timothy Harris, and freshman Jack Slaughter landed fifth in 3:19.99, while sophomores Fran Hendrickson and Madi McLain joined forces with freshmen Petra Cokaric and Erin Connors to post a time of 3:59.97 to place seventh on the women's side of the event.
 
Loyola will now turn its attention towards the start of its outdoor schedule, which begins March 24-26 at the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, N.C.