May 5, 2017
FRANKLIN, Ind. - The 2017 HCAC Track and Field Conference Championship ended Wednesday, May 3, on an unprecedented Day 3 following a change of venue due to the severe weather conditions over the weekend that postponed several events. Undaunted by rain, the Beavers traveled to Franklin College to compete in javelin and 10,000 meter races.
Junior Kyle Knezovich (Utica) continued to demonstrate his multi-talented athleticism, placing 3rd in the javelin with a toss of 163’ 6” (48.83 meters) while junior Erick Benge (Monrovia, Ind./Monrovia) also added points to the men’s score with an 8th place finish.
In the seemingly unending gloom and rain that plagued the meet, Jennie Matteson (Guysville/Alexander) took control of the women’s 10k from the gun, dictating the pace for the majority of the race until the waning laps when the pre-race favorite duo from Manchester pulled ahead, leaving Matteson in a spirited dual with Rose-Hulman’s runner in which she prevailed to claim the 3rd spot in a PR time. Fellow sophomore Michelle Kelsey (South Whitley, Ind./Whitko) also improved her time in this most grueling of track events.
The meet closed with the men’s 10k where the Beavers again set the pace throughout the majority of the race, keeping the pace honest and slowly dropping runners from the leading pack until it was a group of six in contention over the closing mile. Junior Kris Lyons (Vickery/Margaretta) brought a mighty effort to the finish line which he crossed just ahead of freshman teammate Dakota Frost (Edgerton/Hicksville), the pair claiming 4th and 5th with times of 32:48.29 and 32.48.66, respectively. Senior Patrick Brean (Ashland), to the delight of his assembled teammates, closed his career as a Beaver with a season-best time!
“I could not be more proud of our athletes,” said Head Coach Karen Brandt. “Without complaint and with full effort, they took delays, postponements and rescheduling in stride to put forth maximum performances in each of the three days of competition. My husband (Jim Brandt, distance coach) and I were really excited to see the 10,000 runners execute with confidence and poise. Physically they have been ready for big efforts but the longevity of a distance race requires soul-searching verve to handle the mounting physical, mental and emotional stress. They put all the pieces together when it counted and proved themselves among the best in the conference.”
The Beavers ended the championship with a 3rd place team finish for the men and 5th for the women, equaling their performances from the indoor championship, with the men earning 103 points, the highest in school history for the men’s team. Earning end-of-season accolades for their quality performances were junior D’Nae Reese (Columbus/Upper Arlington), female Field Athlete of the Year and Stanley Williams (Sterling Heights, Mich./Chippewa Valley), male Freshman Athlete of the Year. Williams earned this honor at the indoor championship as well by virtue of earning the most points of any true freshman in the meet. Williams racked up an impressive 25.75 points over the five events he contested. He is currently ranked 14th in the nation among 100 meter Division 3 athletes and 29th in long jump. He and selected other athletes will compete in several post-season meets in a bid to seal their qualification for the national championship at the end of May.
-BEAVERS-
