Bethany College men and women's indoor track competed for the first time this year at the KSU Wildcat Invitational in Manhattan on Saturday, January 21.

Senior Molly McElgunn, Hutchinson, Kan., ran a personal record time of 8.31 in the 60m sprint, which placed her eighth and into the finals at the meet.  Freshman Roemon Fields, Seattle, Wash.,  a dual sport baseball and track and field athlete, competed in his first-ever track and field competition and placed seventh in the 60m sprint.

First year Head Track and Field Coach Robert Spies says, "The team did well for a season opener. We were rusty on the technical events but did have some decent performances from some of the sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers. The distance crew ran well considering our team is full of freshman and for many of them it was a first-time go running on an indoor track. The throwers continue to become better each week and technique will provide further distances later on in the season."

Other women placers include Courtney Gallardo, seventh in 60m sprint; Chelsea Stuewe, eighth in 300m dash; Karsynn Miller, eighth in one mile run; Jordan Lillie, third in pole vault; Shane Valdez, eighth in long jump; and Heidi Brown, eighth in shot put.

Other men placers include Tomas Ortiz fifth, Ty Bieker seventh, and Nikolaus Barre eighth in 400m dash; James Farris seventh in 800m run; Johannes Riemann fifth and Oscar Segura sixth in 60m hurdles; and Chance Colson seventh in pole vault.

"Although some didn't place, it was a meet to build on," Spies adds.

The team next competes at the Jayhawk Classic in Lawrence on Friday, January 27.

All results from the KSU Wildcat Invitational can be viewed here.