Track athletes hit their stride

By Christopher Ponton

This past weekend marked the transition from indoor to outdoor competition for the men’s and women’s track-and-field teams.

The athletes have used the past two weeks to recharge their batteries as they work their way toward the first meet of the outdoor season, which will take place Saturday at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.

Although the indoor season saw multiple record-breaking performances, many Duhawks are eager to get some fresh air and showcase their talents outside.

Following individual performances in the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships from juniors Gabrielle Noland and Patrick Mikel, they hope for another chance to compete in the outdoor national meet that will take place in May.

For Mikel, he will be hunting for a national crown in the 400-meter dash after getting edged by Mount Union’s A.J. Digby last spring. Mikel was also a part of the men’s 4×4 team that qualified for the national meet. Junior Tyson Morrison and senior Anakin Hall also competed on that relay team.

Looking back on the third-place finish of the 4×4 indoor team comprised of Mikel, Morrison, as well as newcomer first-years Josh Smith and Mike Jasa, the squad has shown it belongs on the national stage.

Senior Bella Solis looks to culminate her prodigious collegiate career. At last year’s outdoor conference meet, Solis placed in the top five in multiple events, including the 100- & 400-meter dashes, the high jump, and she was a member of both the 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams. She also placed fifth in the nation in the 400-meter dash, earning her All-American honors.

Another all-around athlete to keep an eye on this outdoor season is sophomore Ryan Rogers. He is coming off a fourthplace finish in the heptathlon at the Indoor National Championships.

Overall, many Duhawks either qualified to compete in the indoor meet or narrowly missed the top-20 qualifying mark.