Led by a second-place effort from freshman Jeremy Getz in the javelin throw, the Valparaiso men’s track and field team sits in third place after the first day of action at the 2012 Horizon League Outdoor Championships in Milwaukee, Wis.

Getz registered a toss of 170’4” Friday in the javelin, less than three feet off his best effort of the year in the event and only 17 inches short of the winning toss.  Also finishing in the top-10 for the Crusaders in the javelin were junior Andrew Rixon (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield), who placed seventh with a mark of 140’11”, and sophomore Travis Simmons (Angola, Ind./Angola), who posted a throw of 118’9” to finish in ninth place.

In the other event final contested on Friday evening, sophomore Matthew Przybyla (Whitmore Lake, Mich./Pinckney) ran to a 10^th-place finish in the 10,000m run with a time of 32:54.97.  Freshman Eric Hickok (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) was right behind Przybyla, crossing the line in 33:21.93, good for 11^th place.

The Crusaders totaled eight points on Friday to sit in a tie for third place after the first of three days of competition.  Loyola paces the team standings currently with 20 points.  Action on Saturday from Milwaukee is slated for a 9 a.m. start.