An impressive freshman class has been making waves for the Hillsdale College men's track and field team in the 2020-21 indoor season.
On Saturday, one of those freshmen became the first member of that class to earn an individual Division II provisional qualifying mark -- and did so in school-record setting fashion.
Sean Fagan, a native of North Scituate, Rhode Island, won the 60 meter hurdles at Saturday's Tune-Up Invite hosted by the Chargers in the Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center, in 8.14, shattering his previous personal best and the provisional qualifying time of 8.21, and edging out the previous Hillsdale school record of 8.15 set by John Ethan Baldwin in 2020.
The time is tied for the 12th-fastest time in Division II this season, putting Fagan right in the hunt for a berth to the NCAA national meet in his first season of collegiate track, and it's also the fastest time in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference this season, putting him right in the mix for a G-MAC title as well.
Fagan is already part of a 4x400 meter relay team that earned a provisional qualifying mark earlier this year as well for the Chargers.
As impressive as Fagan's performance was, it was far from the only standout mark in a strong day for the Chargers. Freshman Joshua Nichols won the triple jump (13.32 meters) and took sixth in the long jump (6.07 meters) to lead the Chargers in the field events, and junior Ben Raffin cleared 4.94 meters in the pole vault to take second behind the current top pole vaulter in Division II, Tommy Ansiel of Cedarville.
Sophomore Charlie Andrews tied his personal best in the high jump with a clearance of 1.89 meters to finish third as well for Hillsdale, and freshman TJ McGinnis finished third in the shot put with a throw of 14.29 meters.
On the track, Hillsdale's team of Alex Mitchell, Benu Meintjes, Ian Calvert and Mark Miller won the distance medley relay in a time of 10:17.51 for the Chargers, freshman Dagur Andri Einarsson took second in the 60 meter dash with a personal best time of 7.09, and senior Adam Wade took third in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.67.
The Charger men now have their full focus on the two-day G-MAC Championship week starting this coming Friday at host Cedarville. Hillsdale finished third in the conference in 2020, and will look to try match or improve on that finish next weekend.
Photo by Anthony Lupi