Meet Information

(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 26)—The McKendree University  track and field teams return to action this weekend in Elsah, IL at the Principia Relays, hosted by Principia College.
The women's team enters the weekend ranked No. 21 in Division II after bumping up from their preseason ranking of 90^th after the first poll of the season was released.

McKendree will send 23 athletes to compete among the 21 weekend events spanning across two days.

The Bearcats have 16 top 10 times or marks in the Great Lakes Valley Conference this season led by sophomore Quincy McSweeeny who holds the top time in Division II in the 800-meter at 2:10.16. McSweeney is also part of the McKendree distance medley team that ranks fourth in the nation joined by senior Karis Johnson (Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence Central), junior Jordyn Looman (Centralia, IL/Centralia), and freshman Shayna Phillips (Effingham, Il/Effingham) after a time of 12:24.64. Sophomore Tatiana Nieves (Chicago, IL/Trinity) joins McSweeney, Looman, and Philips as a unit in the 4x400-meter relay that ranks seventh in the Midwest Region with a time of 3:56.63.

Nieves also ranks in the top ten in the GLVC in both the 200 and 400-meter, sitting fourth in the 200 with a time of 25.95 seconds and fifth in the 400 at 59.10 seconds.

Juniors Ciara Jones (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) and Julia Sangster (Evanston, IL/Grant) each hold top ten slots in the 60-meter hurdles at fourth and 10^th with times of 9.14 and 9.56 respectively.

In the field freshman, Shelby Mourey (Greenfield, IN/Eastern Hancock ) sits fifth in the league in the high jump with jump of 1.63-meters, which is just .02 meters shy of an NCAA provisional standard.

Jones renters the fray with the fifth best mark in the triple jump at 11.18-meters along with junior Rebecca McKee (Morris, IL/Morris) who ranks eighth at 10.65-meters.

Senior Cortesha Spencer (East St. Louis, IL/East St. Louis) is fifth in the GLVC in the shot put with a throw of 12.14-meters, while junior Leah Kloss is seventh in the weight throw with a toss of 14.25-meters.

The men's team ranks eighth in the Midwest Region after holding top ten times in four events including two in the 60-meter. The Bearcats will send 29 athletes to compete in 23 events this weekend with 16 times or marks ranking in the top ten in the GLVC this season.

Sophomore Demontez McCray (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) leads McKendree four top ten times in the region ranking second in the 400-meter (48.52 seconds), third in the 200-meter (21.60 seconds), and seventh in the 60-meter (6.87 seconds). McCray is joined by senior Donovan Friscia (Jacksonville, FL/Bartram Trail) who ranks fifth in the region in the 60-meter at 6.85 seconds. Junior Kevin Witcik (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) joins the duo ranking fourth in the GLVC with a time of 6.95 seconds.

The distance medley relay team holds down the second's fastest time in the Midwest Region this season at 10:27.29 featuring sophomores Andrew Gardewine (Effingham, IL/Effingham), Grant Riggs (Highland, IL/Highland), Joe Shannon (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville), and Trevor White (Highland, IL/Highland).

Junior Benjamin Richter (Troy, IL/Triad) and sophomore Tyler Manion (Granite City, IL/Granite City) sit second and third in the conference this season in the 5000-meter with times of 15:53.06 and 16:16.63 respectively.

In the field sophomore, Monte Wolke (Sigel, IL/Cumberland) hit 4.36-meters in the pole vault, which ranks eighth in the league.

Junior Ryan Pearce (Villa Grove, IL/Villa Grove) topped a NCAA provisional standard in the shot put with a throw of 16.87-meters, which is good enough for second in the GLVC this season. Sophomore Chase Hagene (Nashville, IL/Nashville) joins Pearce ranking seventh in the league after a throw of 14.13-meters.