Scots Prep for MWC Championships with 'Hilltop' Performances

Monmouth, IL (02/22/2020) — Competing in their final meet before the upcoming Midwest Conference Championships, the Monmouth College track and field team turned in more personal-bests and improved league marks at Friday's Illinois College Hilltop Invitational.

Riley Dulin raced to the top of the MWC's men's mile, turning in a lifetime best to finish third in the event with the league's fastest time. The sophomore clocked a 4:23.48, less than two seconds out of a runner up spot.

Led by the throws group, Monmouth's men took top honors in three field events.

Joe Krall improved on his nation's No. 2 weight throw while Drew Thaxton threw his name in with the national contenders in the event. Krall landed the weight a conference-best 64'2-1/2" to win the event with Thaxton second. Thaxton moved to No.13 in the nation after recording the league's second-best mark of 58'6-3/4".

Thaxton turned in the best shot put mark in the MWC, winning with the 13th best national mark and a PR of 53'4-1/4". Andy Bird took third with the third-best league throw, landing the ball 46'10".

Austin Pfau completed the men's wins, taking the triple jump with an effort of 45'1-1/2". He was also part of a 4-5-6 Scots' long jump effort. Darius Williams turned in the best Monmouth jump to place fourth at 21'5-1/2", just ahead of Pfau in fifth at 21'0". Luke Ditsworth took sixth, landing at 20'7-3/4". Reed Wilson placed second in the pole vault, clearing 14'1-1/4".

Reed Bona improved to No. 4 in the league's 400-yard dash. His time of 52.24 placed him fourth at the meet, just in front of Alex Cutright who clocked a 52.53. Williams placed third in the 200 with the Midwest Conference's third-fastest time of 22.72.

The Scots women also turned in numerous career-best marks and improved their league standings.

Cindy Ladner recorded the best long jump effort of her career to win the event and move to No. 2 in the MWC. The junior's 17'11-3/4" performance was also a Monmouth honor roll mark, giving her the win by 2-1/4". Ladner also clocked a PR in the 55 dash where she posted a 7.45 to place third.

Katie Hayes also posted a lifetime best in the vertical jumps. The pole vaulter cleared 10'2-1/2" to place fourth and move into fifth in the MWC.

Hannah McVey moved to No. 2 in the league's weight throw rankings. McVey turned in her career-best weight throw mark with a 52'5-1/4" effort to win the event by more than 2'. Megan Gilstrap took fourth at 47'8". Gilstrap led four Scots in the top six of the shot put. Her throw of 39'0-1/4" placed her second while Kareema Lawal (38'10-1/4"), Addi Cox (38'2-14") - who moved into seventh in the league - and Leigha Sebben (37'8") finished 4-5-6.

The Scots also bunched their finish in the women's 200 where Kenzie Baker, Ladner and Jordan Peckham finished 3-4-5. Baker's 26.52 was just six-tenths off the winning pace while Ladner clocked a 26.80 and Peckham climbed to eighth in the league with a 26.84.

Monmouth's women ended the night with a third-place finish in the 4x400 relay. Ladner and Peckham were joined by Arika Hofmann and Vanessa Caldwell to clock a 4:13.91. Caldwell had earlier raced to a PR in the 55-meter hurdles where she clocked a runner up time of 8.44, a mere four one-hundredths out of first.

The Scots travel to Grinnell, Iowa, Feb. 28-29 for the Midwest Conference Championships.