Indoor National Qualifiers Highlight Fighting Bee Invite
DAVENPORT, Iowa – After having to cancel their last meet due to weather a week ago, the Calumet College of St. Joseph indoor track teams hit the circuit once again this past weekend, looking to continue the upward trend that was set at the first competition of the season. Robert Davis (JR/Baton Rouge, La.) and Harley Sutton (SR/Hobart, Ind.) made sure that happened, as both qualified for the NAIA Indoor National Championships with their efforts at the two day Fighting Bee Invitational on the campus of Saint Ambrose University.
RESULTS
Men's Team: 6th out of 12th (43 points)
Women's Team: 8th out of 12th (36.5 points)
TOP MEN'S PREFORMER
Robert Davis takes the honors in back to back weeks to start the season. The junior qualified for this second straight indoor national championship appearance with his distance of 6.97 meters in the long jump, which was good for first place in the event. Davis continued to make strides in the triple jump as well, coming in second place with a measurement of 13.72 meters.
MEN IN THE TOP FIVE
Rakeem Bluitt – 5th in 1000 meter run (2:53.57)
Antonio Kneeland (SO/Merrillville, Ind.) – 5th in 60 meter hurdles (8.88)
Demetrius Banks (SR/Hazelcrest, Ill.) – 1st in high jump (1.89 meters)
TOP WOMEN'S PREFORMER
Harley Sutton placed second in the Indoor Pentathlon, winning the 60 meter hurdles and the 800 meter run in the process to put her into the qualifying field for the indoor national championships in South Dakota. This is Sutton's third year in a row for hitting the qualifying standard, but has been snake bitten in the process. Only the top 16 scores across the nation will be able to compete in the event at nationals, with Sutton currently sitting in the 19th spot. She will have three more chances to improve her score to see if she can punch her ticket during the senior's last indoor season.
WOMEN IN THE TOP FIVE
Kellyn Vale (JR/Crown Point, Ind.) – 1st in 1000 meter run (3:05.58)
Grace Dwyer (SO/Lake Station, Ind.) – 5th in one mile run (5:33.41)
SCHOOL RECORDS BROKEN
Ronnie Strain (JR/St. John, Ind.) – 14.71 meters in the weight throw
Emijah Davis (FR/Gary, Ind.) – 8.17 in 60 meter dash
Julia Mears (FR/Flint, Mich.) – 5.12 meters in long jump
Krystina Barksdale (SO/St. John, Ind.) – 8.26 meters in weight throw
WHAT'S ON DECK?
The track and field teams will be back in action this upcoming weekend, as they will compete in two different tournaments. You will be able to find them trying to qualify even more athletes at the UW-Parkside Classic and the ONU Invite, both all day events happening on Saturday.
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