Hope College

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Eli Meder, Connor Vachon and Dan Campbell display their medals from the 3,000 meters.

Lynne Powe

Men's Track and Field 2/25/2024 7:20:00 AM Alan Babbitt

Men's Track/Field Posts Best Finish at MIAA Indoor Championships

Pictured, from left, Eli Meder, Connor Vachon and Dan Campbell

A trio of event titles propelled the Hope College men's indoor track and field team to its highest finish at the 2024 MIAA Indoor Championships.

The Flying Dutchmen won two individual races and one relay en route to a second-place total of 109 points.

Hope also set a school record in the weight throw while surpassing its previous best team effort, a second-place tie in 2021. The MIAA Indoor Championships began in 2016.

"The men moved up two places from last year to take a strong second place," head coach Kevin Cole said. "Our middle distance squad was dominant with Connor Vachon winning the mile and Eli Meder winning the 800 meters. The men's distance medley relay overcame the adversity of some miscounted laps by the officials to bring home the victory. It was a great team effort to beat some excellent MIAA competition."

Trine totaled 209 points to earn its fifth consecutive league championship.

The Flying Dutchmen opened the meet by winning the distance medley relay.

Sophomore Owen Harries (Lexington, South Carolina / Lexington HS), sophomore Wyatt Marsh (Grand Blanc, Michigan / Lake Fenton), junior Lucas Guidone (Chicago, Illinois / Taft) and sophomore Carston Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) recorded a first-place time of 11 minutes, 20.05 seconds.

It was Hope's first title in the event since 2019 and the third overall.

The Flying Dutchmen later added a 1-2-3 sweep of the mile.

Vachon (Jenison, Michigan / Jenison) led the charge by crossing the finish line in 4:18.01.

Meder (Williamston, Michigan / Lansing Catholic) finished second at 4:18.07. Junior Dan Campbell (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton) posted a third-place run of 4:18.14.

In the 800 meters, Meder recorded a first-place time of 1:56.71. Vachon took third at 1:59.06. Freshman Tim Peterson (Portage, Michigan / Portage Northern) was sixth at 2:01.42.

Sophomore thrower Brendyn Mroz (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grandville) set a school record in the weight throw with a fourth-place toss of 15.30 meters (50 feet, 2 ½ inches).

Mroz eclipsed the 2018 record of 15.04 meters (49-4 ½) set by Chase Gaca.

Hope scored in eight more events.

The 4x400 relay of Alex Daniels (Holland, Michigan / Holland), sophomore Liam Danitz (West Branch, Michigan / Ogemaw Heights), junior Joshua Ennen (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland West) and senior Nathan Woolum (Mattawan, Michigan / Mattawan) posted a second-place run of 3:23.69.

In the triple jump, Woolum took fourth at 12.99 meters (42-7 ½).

In the long jump, freshman Evan Keolasy (Fort Wayne, Indiana / Blackhawk Christian) finished fourth with a leap of 6.67 meters (21-10 ¾).

In the 60 meters, sophomore Nolan Sanders (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow) clocked a sixth-place run of 6.99 seconds. Daniels took eighth at 8.46 seconds.

In the 200 meters, Danitz recorded a fifth-place time of 22.55 seconds.

In the 400 meters, Woolum placed fifth at 51.11 seconds.

In the 5,000 meters, sophomore Jonas Fraley-Burgett (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Kalamazoo Central) finished fifth at 15:43.40. Sophomore Ian Petruska (Fort Collins, Colorado / Fort Collins) was eighth at 16:03.48

In the 60-meter hurdles, senior Jackson Player (San Antonio, Texas / Winston Churchill) finished fifth at 8.61 seconds.

Hope placed ahead of third-place Albion College (97), Calvin University (81), Adrian College (63), The University of Olivet (51) and Alma College (10).

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Players Mentioned

Dan Campbell: Senior; Physical and Health Education

Carston Cole: Sophomore; Exercise Science

Alex Daniels: Junior; Exercise Science

Liam Danitz: Sophomore

Joshua Ennen: Junior; Social Work

Jonas Fraley-Burgett: Sophomore

Lucas Guidone: Junior

Owen Harries: Sophomore; Biology

Wyatt Marsh: Sophomore

Eli Meder: Senior; Business/Economics

Brendyn Mroz: Sophomore; Psychology, Exercise Science

Jackson Player: Fifth Year; Psychology

Players Mentioned

Dan Campbell
: Senior; Physical and Health Education

Carston Cole
: Sophomore; Exercise Science

Alex Daniels
: Junior; Exercise Science

Liam Danitz
: Sophomore

Joshua Ennen
: Junior; Social Work

Jonas Fraley-Burgett
: Sophomore

Lucas Guidone
: Junior

Owen Harries
: Sophomore; Biology

Wyatt Marsh
: Sophomore

Eli Meder
: Senior; Business/Economics

Brendyn Mroz
: Sophomore; Psychology, Exercise Science

Jackson Player
: Fifth Year; Psychology