The Valparaiso men's track and field team utilized strong performances in the throws Saturday to finish eighth at the Miami Invitational in Oxford, Ohio.

The Crusaders tallied 20 points to place eighth out of the 11 competing schools. Cincinnati took home top team honors with 213 points.

Steve Bartholomew (Valparaiso, Ind./Morgan Township) posted Valpo's best finish on the day, placing third in the hammer throw with a mark of 176'10". Bartholomew also finished fifth in the discus throw, registering a toss of 135'7".

Brett Maynard (Pawcatuck, Conn./Stonington) was the only other Crusader to post a top-five finish at the meet, finishing fourth in the javelin throw with a mark of 154'7". Eric Smith (Portage, Ind./Portage) also recorded two top-tens in the throws, coming in eighth place in the hammer throw (154'6") and ninth place in the discus (123'0").

Leandro Schultz (Valley View, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) led the Crusader contingent on the track with a tenth-place finish in the 5,000m run, crossing the line in 15:37.75. Valpo's 4x400m relay team placed sixth with a time of 3:47.40.

Valparaiso returns to the track next Saturday, April 21, at the Puma Invitational in Rensselaer, Ind. The first event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. CDT.