The Valparaiso University track & field teams competed at the Gibson Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind. on Friday. Eric Carothers (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) led the way for the Brown & Gold, collecting the highest individual finish on the day as the team boasted four top-10 finishers.  

How It Happened

• Carothers completed the 5000-meter run in 14:57.36, placing sixth in a 39-runner field to collect the team’s highest finish on the day. Evan Walda (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) placed 16^th in the event, crossing the finish line in 15:06.45.
• Grace Aurand (Highland, Ind./Highland) led the women with the top individual showing in any event, clocking a 17:57.05 in the 5000m to garner a seventh-place finish in a field of 31 runners.
• Valpo placed two in the top 10 in the men’s hammer throw. Junior Alek Trafton (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) threw for a distance of 50.80m to finish ninth in the event. In the process, Trafton established a new career best and usurped Eddie Juszczak (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) for the team’s top hammer throw this season. Juszczak finished 10^th on Saturday, throwing for 49.37m.
• Lauren Mikolajczak (Bloomingdale, Ill./Montini Catholic) led the way in the women’s hammer, covering a distance of 45.47m to place 18^th of 39.

Up Next 

Valpo will return to action on Saturday, April 17 as both the men’s and women’s teams will compete in the final day of the Gibson Invitational. A link to live results is available on ValpoAthletics.com.