In 2023, the Hillsdale College men's track and field team finished the G-MAC Outdoor Championships without a single individual title to their name.
In 2024 and competing at their home track, the Chargers have changed that in an emphatic way, crowning three champions on Thursday alone in a strong performance that has Hillsdale sitting in solid position entering the final day of competition.
Hillsdale capped the day on Thursday with a record-breaking performance from junior Richie Johnston in the steeplechase, as the Arizona native ran away from the field in the back half of the race to win in a new personal best of 8:55.09 and, in the process, break the school record in the event of 8:55.57 set by Anthony Wondaal in 2016. The mark was not only a school record but is also a prvoisional qualifying mark that currently ranks 12th in the nation at the NCAA DII level, giving Johnston a strong chance to return to the 2024 NCAA DII Outdoor Championships in the event at the end of May. Teammate Alex Mitchell also took eighth in the race in 9:31.62, earning a point for the Chargers.
The steeplechase may have included a record, but it was far from the only momentous performance from the Chargers on Thursday. In the high jump, Cass Dobrowolski walked away with his second G-MAC title in three seasons, clearing 2.03 meters to take the crown back after winning it in 2021 and falling short last season.
The Chargers also got an impressive victory in the javelin, as freshman Tommy Flud continued a phenomenal first season at Hillsdale by claiming the G-MAC title with a throw of 59.99 meters. Already Hillsdale's record-holder in the event, Flud was joined in scoring points for the Chargers by teammate Ethan Dorrell, who placed sixth with a mark of 51.94 meters.
Along with three titles, Hillsdale also did strong work in preliminary races to ensure they'll have plenty of irons in the fire in championship races on Friday. Hurdlers Sean Fagan and Colsen Conway made the finals in both hurdles events, with Fagan posting a 14.57 time in the 110m hurdles and a 53.06 in the 400m hurdles, while Conway was close behind with a time of 14.86 in the 110s and 54.47 in the 400 hurdles.
Also advancing to the finals on Friday was junior Ross Kuhn, with a strong time of 3:55.42 in the 1,500m run, and senior Jamahl Burke, who ran a season best 48.81 in the 400m dash to earn his spot as well.
The Chargers will send two men to the finals of the 800m run, as Micah Vanderkooi ran a season-best time of 1:54.68 to earn the seventh seed, and senior Sean Hoeft grabbed the ninth seed with a time of 1:55.35.
Hillsdale currently sits in fifth in the team race with 34 points, and will look to build on their momentum with a full day of finals on championship Friday at Hayden Park. Field events will begin at 11 a.m., with running events to follow at 12:10 a.m.