LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Gustavus men’s track & field team competed in its first outdoor meet since 2019 on Friday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The Gusties recorded 97 points to finish third in the triangular with UW-La Crosse (124) and UW-Stout (101).
Nathan Scruggs (Sr., Mankato) started the track events with a win in the 1500-meter, clocking a time of 4:23.53. The highlight performance of the day happened in the second event as Taylor Rooney (Sr., Andover) crossed the 110-hurdles line in 13.72, breaking his own school record and etching his name at the top of the Division III performance list. In the 400-meter, Seth Zeitchick (So., St. Paul) took third place with a time of 51.71. Jack DeGronda (Jr., Stillwater) was the Gusties’ top performer in the 800-meter with a sixth-place finish, clocking in a 2:02.76. Grant Baker (Fy., South St. Paul) took third in the 400-hurdles with a time of 1:05.34. Wyatt Quiring (Jr., Fairmont) finished the 200-meter in 22.34 for seventh place. Henry Hinchcliffe (So., Austin) led a fleet of Gusties in the 5000-meter with a winning time of 15:24.64. And the 4×400 relay team of Quiring, Nick Olfert (Jr., Shakopee), Isaiah Subah (Fy., Bloomington), and Josh Wilson (Jr., Farmington) wrapped up the day by taking third place with a time of 3:33.79.
In the field events, Owen Fredrick (Jr., Lino Lakes) started the day by clearing 12-0.75 in the pole vault for 12th place. Logan Sullivan (Fy., Madelia) posted a mark of 5-5.25 in the high jump for fourth place. In the long jump, Subah had a leap of 20-4.25 to place sixth. Connor Gag (Jr., New Ulm) led the Gusties in the discus with a throw of 132-5 for eighth place. Luke Dragseth (So., Milwaukee, Wis.) tossed the javelin 113-8 for third place. Steven Orzolek (Jr., Darwin) took third in the hammer throw with a heave of 168-8. In the triple jump, Alec Fette (So., Mankato) placed fourth with a distance of 40-4. Orzolek finished the field events by winning the shot put with a heave of 53-9.
Throws coach Tom Thorkelson was pleased with how both the men’s and women’s throwers competed today.
“Throwers had an excellent meet lead by Annika Poe winning the women’s shot put and Steven Orzolek winning the men’s shot put,” Thorkelson said. “Other outstanding PRs were Alexys Guidry finishing second in the discus, Steven Orzolek taking third in the hammer, Rachel Erickson placing third in the javelin, and Josh Beiswanger placing fourth in the hammer in his first collegiate meet against two of the best throwing programs in the country. All in all an outstanding day for the throwers.”
A small group of Gusties compete at MSU-Mankato tomorrow.