By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KEARNEY, Neb. – The Fort Hays State men’s track and field team saw two school records go down on Saturday (May 15) at the Loper Twilight #1. The Tigers posted five provisional marks on the penultimate day of the regular season, including one automatic qualifying mark for the 2021 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
After heading into the weekend 16th on the national performance chart and firmly on the bubble for selection to nationals, Ryan Stanley cemented his fourth trip to the national meet by breaking the school record and matching the automatic qualifying mark in the pole vault. The sophomore eclipsed the 17-2.25 bar on his second attempt, besting the previous school record by 2.25 inches and becoming just the second Tiger to successfully clear 17 feet. Stanley is one of just five individuals nationwide to surpass the automatic qualifying mark this season.
After placing second at the MIAA Championships one week ago and earning All-MIAA honors, the men’s 4x400m relay team of Hayden Albright, Jack Pakkebier, Nolan Churchman and Ethan Lang took things up a notch on Saturday, besting a 51-year-old program record with a first-place time of 3:11.32. The squad beat the previous record by two-hundredths of a second and currently sit in seventh on the national performance chart, putting themselves in solid position for a trip to Allendale, Mich. for the national championships later this month.
While the 4x400m relay team finished off the evening with fireworks, the 4x100m relay team opened the running events with an equally impressive performance. Xavier Robinson, Philip Landrum, Albright and Malcom Gardner combined to run the single lap in 40.46, first place on the day and currently sixth-fastest in Division II this season.
Landrum also competed in the individual sprint races, placing first in the 100m dash and second in the 200m dash. The sophomore improved his provisional mark in the 100m dash, crossing the line in 10.48. He later ran the 200m dash in 21.39.
Mark Faber also cleared the provisional mark in the pole vault, clearing the 15-10.5 bar to place 12th. Robinson also competed in the long jump, placing fifth with a best mark of 23-2.75.
The Tigers had three finishers in the top seven in the 800m run, with Aaron Mangan placing second in 1:53.66, Trever Medina placing third in 1:54.16 and Ethan Lang finishing seventh in 1:57.94.
A limited number of student-athletes will make one more attempt to improve their national standing at the Loper Twilight #2 on Sunday (May 16) beginning at 3 p.m. The rest of the team will await the official selection announcements on Tuesday (May 18).
Full FHSU Results
100m Dash
1st – Philip Landrum – 10.48
10th – Cole Diffenbaugh – 10.98
200m Dash
2nd – Philip Landrum – 21.39
800m Run
2nd – Aaron Mangan – 1:53.66
3rd – Trever Medina – 1:54.16
7th – Ethan Lang – 1:57.94
110m Hurdles
8th – Jack Pakkebier – 16.16
9th – Nolan Churchman – 16.19
4x100m Relay
1st – Xavier Robinson, Philip Landrum, Hayden Albright, Malcom Gardner – 40.46
4×400 Relay
1st – Hayden Albright, Jack Pakkebier, Nolan Churchman, Ethan Lang – 3:11.32 !
Long Jump
5th – Xavier Robinson – 23-2.75
Pole Vault
2nd – Ryan Stanley – 17-2.25 # !
12th – Mark Faber – 15-10.5
Javelin Throw
10th – David Enns – 178-11
Hammer Throw
12th – Kolgan Ohl – 168-9
Bold indicates NCAA Division II provisional mark
# indicates NCAA Division II automatic qualifying mark
! indicates program record