With multiple records broken and 12 top-10 finishes at the Redbird Invite last weekend, Bradley’s track and field team proved it was off to a hot start in the outdoor season.
Head coach Darren Gauson likes how the team has successfully kept the momentum from the indoor competition while transitioning to outdoor competition.
“Indoors was hugely successful, [the] best-combined finish in program history, [with] a lot of really good performances, times, and everything,” Gauson said. ”I think we have trained well since the indoor championship and we are off to a really good start outdoors so far; we just really need the weather to cooperate with us.”
Freshman Shae Fuller got things started for the Braves, as she recorded the best distance in the long jump competition by a women’s team member since 1983. She finished sixth place and posted the third-best jump in program history at a half-inch shy of 18 feet.
Sophomore Kyra Koontz followed with a personal best in the shot put. Her 32′ 3.75″ was the best by a Brave since 2008, and she also finished off with another personal record of 27.85 seconds in the 200 meters.
Junior Tyler Schwartz made her 2022 outdoor debut after missing the cross country season due to an injury by establishing her new career-best time in the 1,500 meters, finishing second in 4:37.99. Freshman Alice Narciso followed her in sixth place with a time of 4:42.72.
“It was definitely a surprise,” Schwartz said. “I did not think it was going to be an 11-second PR, but I’m very excited to be back out there, it has been a long time. [I’m] definitely excited about the future.”
Freshman Michael Rebello took third in the men’s 1,500 meters while sophomore Noah Costa took seventh with a personal-best 3:59.12. Ivan Westcott took 10th at 3:59.98.
“For Michael, obviously [he’s the] Freshman of the Year, Track Athlete of the Year indoors, 3K champion, 5K champion [so] running him in the 1500m is shorter than what he normally does,” Gauson said. “His goal is to go and break, weather permitting, 14 minutes this weekend in Mississippi. He is doing an outstanding job…so that is his goal, to just keep that momentum rolling.”
Freshmen Brandon Kamp (9:47.78) and Mickey Vreeland (9:59.13) both debuted in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with second and third-place finishes respectively.
Kamp shared how he feels after competing in a new event and adapting to the circumstances.
“It feels good,” Kamp said. “It is a new event for me; the 3K Steeple is something that I have never run before. I have never gone over hurdles; that was my first time racing jumping over hurdles and doing a water jump. It is definitely interesting and a completely different race than a normal 3K but it is a lot of fun, takes a lot of practice, a lot of getting used to but it is a good time.”
Other notable performances included Tiana LoStracco (2:15.57) placing second in the 800 meters, while all six Bradley men’s runners in the 800 meters finished among the top 10. Will Smith (1:57.80) placed second, Zach Albrecht (1:58.27) followed in third, Joey Simon finished fifth, Mason Jonesat sixth, Aidan Donohuein ninth and Alex Klinknerat 10th.
Gauson believes his team is capable of qualifying even more athletes than last year to the NCAA national qualifiers. Bradley had seven NCAA qualifiers last year and this year, Gauson hopes to round up the number to 10.
The Braves will be one step closer to the postseason as they are set to travel to Oxford, Mississippi for the Joe Walker Invitational, hosted by Ole Miss, on Saturday, April 9.
