By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
AUSTIN, Texas – Six student-athletes representing the Fort Hays State track and field team competed at the prestigious 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays presented by Truist Thursday (March 24). Two school records went down on the first day of the outdoor season, including one that stood for 53 years, in addition to the Tigers posting three NCAA DII provisional marks.
Robbie Schmidt capped off the day by breaking a 53-year-old record in the 5,000m run. The senior shaved nearly 40 seconds off his PR, completing the race in 14:05.87. That time was good for ninth place, better than seven Division I runners. He improved the school record by close to 15 seconds, a mark that has been held by Tiger Sports Hall of Famer Larbi Oukada since 1969 (14:20.44). To date it is the fastest time in Division II this season and is a DII provisional performance.
Ryan Stanley opened the afternoon by finishing ninth in the pole vault, in front of seven DI competitors. The defending indoor and outdoor DII national champion battled the wind all afternoon, clearing the 16-0.75 bar on his first attempt to post a DII provisional mark.
Next up was four Tigers running in the 400m hurdles, with Mattie Rossi breaking her own school record with a time of 1:00.32. The provisional mark, currently the top reported time across all Division II this season, was good for second place and was better than 25 DI athletes. Teammate Taylor Savolt moved to third on the FHSU DII era performance chart with a time of 1:03.58, finishing 18th in front of 14 DI competitors.
On the men’s side, both Nolan Churchman and Jack Pakkebier ran personal-bests and moved into the top 10 at FHSU during the DII era. Churchman completed the race in 54.47, placing 15th out of 42 competitors to move to fifth on the Tiger performance chart, while Pakkebier ran in 55.33 to finish 24th to move to eighth on the list. Churchman finished in front of 20 Division I athletes, with Pakkebier besting 16 DI competitors.
Rossi, Savolt, Churchman and Pakkebier will wrap up competition at the Texas Relays with the 100m and 110m hurdles on Friday (March 24), while the rest of the Tiger squad opens the outdoor season at the ESU Relays in Emporia, Kan. Friday and Saturday (March 24-25).
Full FHSU Results
Women
400m Hurdles
2nd – Mattie Rossi – 1:00.32 ! #
18th – Taylor Savolt – 1:03.58
Men
400m Hurdles
15th – Nolan Churchman – 54.47
24th – Jack Pakkebier – 55.33
5,000m Run
9th – Robbie Schmidt – 14:05.87 ! #
Pole Vault
9th – Ryan Stanley – 16-0.75 #