In its first home outdoor track meet in nearly two years, the Hillsdale College men's track and field team won six events and had three provisional marks at Saturday's Hillsdale Invitational.
Leading the way were two fifth-year athletes who returned for an extra season after losing their senior outdoor track and field season in 2020 -- Ryan Thomsen and Ian Brown.
Competing in his first outdoor decathalon since the spring of 2019, Ryan Thomsen had his best performance ever in the multi-event, putting up a total of 6,486 points by winning the long jump and the shot put to set a Division II provisional qualifying mark. His performance currently ranks 14th in Division II with several meets remaining to build off his performance.
Brown entered the meet having already set a provisional qualifying mark two weeks ago in the 110 meter high hurdles, but he shaved another two-hundredths of a second off of his time and earned a runner-up finish in the event with a 14.21. While the tailwind was once again too strong to officially break the school record, Brown continues to improve his time and will have another crack at Matt Raffin's mark of 14.43 later in 2021.
Along with Thomsen and Brown, sophomore Ben Raffin, an indoor All-American in the pole vault, earned a provisional qualifying mark in the outdoor event as well, clearing 4.92 meters and finishing runner-up at Saturday's event on jumps. Raffin is currently tied for 17th in Division II after this weekend's performance.
To go with three provisional qualifiers, the Chargers also had five other event winners in Saturday's competition. Mark Miller won the 1,500m run in 4:02.80 and took third in the 800m run (1:58.14) in a strong day for the junior distance runner and freshman Dagur Andri Einarsson won the 100m dash in a personal-best time of 10.78, with teammate Jacob Schmidt close behind in second (10.83).
Freshman Benu Meintjes won the 400m dash in 49.56, with fellow freshman Ian Calvert taking third in a personal best time of 49.92 in a close race. Meintjes and Calvert also teamed up with Adam Wade and Jamahl Burke to win the 4x400m relay (3:22.82) as well for the Chargers, and Einarsson, Schmidt, Burke and Wade took runner-up in the 4x100 relay as well (41.77).
Freshman Joshua Nichols won the triple jump (13.06 meters) to give Hillsdale a field event title as well.
It was a strong day for Charger freshmen competitors overall. Competing in his first-ever 3,000m steeplechase, freshman Alex Mitchell took second (9:51.32) for the Chargers, Micah Vanderkooi finished third in his first 1,500m run (4:08.74) and Sean Fagan took third in the 110 hurdles (14.85).
Hillsdale will split its squads next weekend, sending part of its team to the two-day Georgia Tech Invite in Atlanta, Georgia beginning on April 16, and part to the Tiffin Invitational on Saturday at April 17.
Photo by Gwen Buchhop
