Buffs Track & Field Teams Split Squads Between Tennessee Invitational and Tornado Classic

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Milligan University's men's and women's track & field squads stretched their ranks across two states on Friday, competing at both the Tennessee Invitational in Knoxville and the Tornado Classic in Brevard, N.C. The teams combined for 14 personal-record times/marks and two new school records on the prolific day.

At the Tennessee Invitational, Romario Taylor managed a 20th-place finish with a time of 21.68 seconds in the men's 200m, which was a new personal-best.

Brayden Simpson placed eighth in the 400m Hurdles with a personal-best mark of 55.41 seconds. That time is now a new Milligan record.

Bryn Woodall ran the 1500m at Tennessee, notching a 3:47.74 to win the race against heavily NCAA Division I opponents. Aaron Gottlied then placed 31st with a 4:05.77, which was a new personal-best time.

The men's 5000m runners came away with top-20 finishes, as Winston Telford scored a 15:09.18 to come in seventh. Then, Zimri Kuhn placed 14th and Blake Hipkiss ran a 15:34.85 to set a new personal-best time and finish 16th.

Phillip Lotivio competed in the Pole Vault and placed seventh with a 4.31m launch, setting the second of MU's two school records on Friday.

In Brevard, Milligan's Reese Pesterfield scored a personal-best 24.31 in the 200m to finish 26th.

Keri Belcher placed sixth on the women's side of the 200m, clocking in at 27.07.

In the 400m Hurdles, Mary Custodio came in fourth, crossing the line in 1:14.13. Anna Gardner came in ninth with a time of 1:21.06.

Milligan had four runners in the top 10 in the men's 800m, as Douglas Cornfield (3rd), Jaiden Carmichael (7th), Alex Windham (8th) and Mick Stokes (9th, PB) reached the top 10 finishers.

The women's 800m race saw Hope Krell (3rd), Rachel Dulaney (5th) and Sophia Jeffers (6th) place in the top 10, as well.

Cornfield then posted a stellar 4:04.51 in the men's 1500m, winning the race in the process.

The women's 1500m saw Annie Kate McDermott place fifth with a personal-best 5:07.34. Joanna Halterman and Hannah Brown also came across in the top 10, placing seventh and 10th, respectively.

Sam Sosebee had a great day in the 3000m Steeplechase, coming across at 10:31.23, which placed him third in the race.

Kendall Jarvis was the runner-up on the women's side of the 3000m Steeplechase, finishing in 13:20.59.

Josh Hale won the 5000m on the men's side with a season-best 15:54.58.

In Discus, Dillon Handshey placed fifth with a 39.31m toss. Konnor Kilgore then tossed 35.77m to set a personal-best distance.

Handshey then followed that up with a personal-best Hammer Throw performance, launching 45.13m to place third.

Annika Hoefler then came through with a 40.81m toss in women's Hammer Throw, setting a new personal record. She placed second overall.

In men's High Jump, Conner Mowell and Landon Ingham came through with 1.80m jumps, as Ingham set a new personal best.

The season continues for many Milligan T&F athletes tomorrow, as the Tennessee Invitational continues in Knoxville, with the first event with a Buff (men's Hammer Throw) starting at 9 a.m.