Warriors Make Final Marks Before Nationals

SEWARD, Neb. – With one final weekend to improve times, distances, and heights before the national championship field is set, Midland University sent a handful of athletes to compete in the Concordia Twilight meet on Friday. The Warriors had seven men take to the track of the field in Seward at Bulldog Stadium.

Ross McMahon was able to better two of his event marks. He reached 52.50m in the javelin, placing 10th, and eclipsed 2.14m in the high jump to place 2nd.

Evan Shepard reached a new season-best in the 110m hurdles. After running an even 15.0 during prelims, he ran a time of 14.82 in the finals. He just missed the NAIA "B" Standard by two-hundredths of a second.

For the first time this season, Shandon Reitzell ran the open 400m. He set a new outdoor personal best with a time of 50.66.

In the 800m, a pair of Warriors were looking to drop their times to reach the NAIA qualifying standard. While they both reached new personal best times, Henri Stoeckermann (1:53.50) and Lucas Hjorkjaer (1:53.70) came up just shy of the "B" Standard of 1:52.80.

Others competing on Friday included Jonathan Mahoney (5,000m – 15:14.85), KeRon Blackwell (high jump – 2.08m), and Josiah Meyer (javelin – 50.90m).

Midland will now begin a final week of preparations at home before hitting the road for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The final meet of the outdoor season will take place in Marion, Indiana beginning on Wednesday, May 22.

NAIA National Qualifiers (*=B Standard, **=A Standard)

Evan Shepard
- 110m Hurdles (14.71*)

Shandon Reitzell
- 400m Hurdles (53.56**)
- High Jump (2.12m**)

Robert Atwater
- High Jump (2.14m**)
- Long Jump (7.52m**)
- Pole Vault (4.70m*)

Ross McMahon
- High Jump (2.14m**)

KeRon Blackwell
- High Jump (2.12m**)