Aaron Crague (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) opened the outdoor track and field season in record-setting fashion over the weekend at the Stanford Invitational, setting a new Valparaiso University school record while qualifying for the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships to be held at the end of May.

The fifth-year senior finished in second place in the 5000m run with a time of 14:16.10, bettering his own school mark set two seasons ago by eight seconds. His time also was nearly nine seconds better than the qualifying standard set by the NCAA.

Nate Nunnelly (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso H.S.) placed 42nd in the 1500m run with a time of 4:02.21, while Doug Brown (Bluffton, Ohio/Allen East H.S.) and Matt Blume (Logansport, Ind./Pioneer H.S.) each competed in the 3000m steeplechase. Brown finished in tenth place with a time of 9:36.56 while Blume was 12th crossing the finish line in 9:43.82.

The Crusaders will return to action next weekend at the DePauw Inviational.