PITTSBURG, Kan. – Butler track and field competed at the Pittsburg State Invitational on Saturday and had multiple student-athletes come away with top NJCAA indoor marks.
The Grizzlies competed at Pittsburg State which is the site of the Region VI Indoor Championships, set for Feb. 17 and 18th. With just two weekends of competition separating the Grizzlies competing at the region meet, the Pittsburg State Invitational served as a nice precursor.
Men's Results
Andre Morrison was the star of the show for the Grizzlies, running a 6.60 60m dash, winning the race. The 6.60 is the top overall time out of all NJCAA runners this season. The time also ranks 11th out of all collegiate runners this season. Eddy Vu placed seventh in the 60m, running it in 6.79 seconds.
Jonathan Farinha registered a big performance in the men's 200m, winning the race with a time of 21.43 out of 48 runners. Devian King placed sixth in the 200m, running it in 21.68 which is a personal record. Eddy Vu placed 11th, running 21.76 for a personal record on the season.
Michael Thomas was the highest finishing Grizzly in the 400m, placing 18th with a time of 48.87, his season personal record. Cameron Leiba placed 23rd (49.15) and Avindale Smith finished 34th (49.70).
Bennett Feldenkirchen ran a personal record 1:11.82 in the 600y, placing fourth for the 10th best time in the NJCAA this season.
Abdelhakim Boukhiar ran a season-best 1:53.50 in the men's 800m, placing fifth at the meet as well as the ninth best time in the NJCAA this season. Soualah Yasser finished 14th in the 800m with a time of 1:55.21, good for 15th in the NJCAA.
Bhekizulu Thumalo was the top Grizzly finisher in the men's 5000m, placing ninth (15:10.46).
The men's 4x400m relay (Leiba, Smith, Thomas, Farinha) placed fourth (3:12.60). It's the fourth best time in the NJCAA this season. The grizzly distance medley relay (DMR) comprised of Yasser, Vu, Boukhiar and Thumalo ran 10:23.04, the fourth best time in the NJCAA this season.
Women's Results
On the women's side, Khloi Bird now holds the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA in the 5k, running 17:45.23. She placed fifth at the meet behind three Pittsburg State runners and one runner from St. Mary.
Trishanie Warner turned in a personal record of 56.68 in the 400m which places her 9th in the NJCAA.
Alison Unruh came in 31st in the women's mile, running 5:31.66. Heidi Grimmett was right behind, placing 33rd (5:32.93).
Unruh also was the top Butler finisher in the women's 300m, placing 16th (11:13.83). Valyrie Freeman came in 19th (11:23.54).
Bird also competed in the women's 5000m, placing fifth (17:45.23).
NEXT UP
Butler will travel to Topeka on Friday, Feb. 2nd, and Saturday, Feb. 3rd, for the Washburn Open.
