BROCKPORT, NY – The Houghton track & field teams traveled to SUNY Brockport to compete in the Brockport Multi & Invitational on Friday and Saturday. This is always one of the bigger meets that the Highlanders attend during the indoor season. On Friday evening, Katie Widmer and
Neve Tilley competed in the Pentathlon. Both ladies qualified for the Empire 8 Championships with their performances. Widmer finished with 2,325 points, which is around 300 points better than her mark at the same meet in 2023. It was Tilley's first multi, and the got personal best performances in nearly every event. On Saturday,
Amos Bixler unleashed a furious kick, closing in under 30 seconds for his last lap to run 4:27.37 in the mile, good for 3
rd place in the competition, and the second fastest time in the Empire 8 this year.
Coach Hager remarked after the meet, "Overall we were pleased with the performances today. There are a couple things we were hoping went a bit better, but the effort was great. We do have a really big meet coming up this weekend in NYC, so we move on and prep to get some pivotal performances there. Overall, it's fun to see the team accepting different types of roles, which play into training, and helping others achieve big performances. In the 3k, we had four athletes being paced by their teammates, and all four of them had huge performances. For the pacers, they got a fantastic workout after their main events. A couple people had breakthrough performances, like
Elijah Hungerford, and you love to see that during mid season."
Some of the other top performances were
Madison Palmer getting a lifetime personal best in the weight throw (14.89m). This improves on her #2 all-time program place, and sits #3 in the Empire 8. Tori Brewster competed in a new event, the 400m. She ran 60.99, which puts her #5 in program history, and #3 in the Empire 8.
Tabitha Clark ran a big indoor personal best in the mile (5:35.31), and sits at #10 in the Empire 8, and primed to compete in the hot heat in a few weekends. For the men,
Evan Kurtz ran an indoor personal best in the 200m (23.37) and ranked #6 in the Empire 8 in said event.
Caleb Kasper had a great double. He had a great effort in the mile at 4:35.49, just off his personal best, and doubled back to race a controlled 3k, to ensure an Empire 8 qualifier (9:11.49), and sits #7 in the Empire 8.
RESULTS
A select group of Highlander track & field athletes are back in action on Friday, 2/9 in Staten Island, NY for the Fastrack National Invitational.
