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Drake Relays Results

Gina Relays Results

BU Twilight Results

Apr. 30, 2011-- Scattered across the Midwest at three different meets, the North Central College men's track & field team recorded seven national qualifying marks over the weekend, highlighted by the 4x400-meter relay squad's school record setting performance at the 102nd Annual Drake Relays on Saturday afternoon.

Michael Spain kicked off the week on Thursday night under the lights of Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa at the Drake Relays, finishing seventh in the 5,000-meter run in an automatic qualifying effort of 14:15.79. Spain's time is currently the fastest time in NCAA Division III this season.

On Friday, the 4x200-meter relay squad of Daniel Benton, Bai Kabba, Jon Howard and Randal Ellison finished second among the 26-team field in the College Division with a time of 1:26.06 before the 4x400-meter relay team of Benton, Howard, Ellison and Jonathan Caron advanced to the finals with an automatic qualifying time of 3:12.53, placing second in their heat.

The 4x4 followed up that performance on Saturday by shaving almost two seconds off their time, finishing fourth overall in the College Division in a school record time of 3:10.66. The quartets time was over one second faster than the previous school record and is currently the fastest time in Division III this season by almost three seconds.

Other highlights from Drake, include Peter Geraghty clearing a provisional qualifying height of 16 feet, 4 3/4 inches in the pole vault, placing 14th, while the Sprint Medley Relay finished ninth overall (3:31.87).

A couple states away at Hillsdale College's Gina Relays in Michigan, Dan Kerley, Neal Klein and Nathan Warstler all added their names to the national list with provisional qualifying times in the 10,000-meter run. Kerley led the Cardinal contigent on Friday night, finishing fifth in 30:14.23 while Klein was close behind in sixth in 30:15.24. Warstler provided the third provisional effort of the night, crossing the tape in 17th in 31:12.00.

The remainder of the squad made the short trip down Chicago Avenue to Lisle, Ill. for the Benedictine University Twilight Invitational on Friday, winning the meet with seven event winners.

North Central tallied 205.2 points at the 17-team invite with the University of Chicago coming in second with 107.2 points.

Zachariah Heerspink was the lone provisional qualifier at Benedictine, clearing 6' 9" to win the high jump. Heerspink additionally placed second in the long jump with a leap of 2' 11".

John Crain secured the victory in the 1,500-meters, finishing in 3:59.54 while Patrick Lesiewicz prevailed in the 3,000-meter run, clocking a 8:40.94. David Janet captured the third distance event for the Cardinals, winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:34.17.

Dionte Hackler sprinted to the win in the 200-meter dash, clocking a 22.42 before collaborating with Tony Kennedy, Marlen Hamilton and Patrick Foley to win the 4x400-meter relay in 3:21.92. Frank Wleklinski was the team's seventh event winner of the night, winning the pole vault after clearing 14' 3 1/4".

North Central returns to the track on Friday for day one of the CCIW Championships hosted by Augustana College.