The Valparaiso University men’s and women’s track & field program closed out the calendar year on Saturday by participating in the team’s final competition before the semester break, the Edmonds-Wilt Invitational hosted by Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. Freshman Taylor Pusateri (Portage, Ind. / Portage) established a program record in the 300, leading a group of three Valpo women who posted all-time top five times in that event.

How It Happened

• Pusateri stopped the clock in 42.54 seconds in the 300, placing eighth. She edged the previous program record of 42.56 that had stood since 1997, when it was set by Karie Dalgren.
• She was followed by Kai Dilosa (Merrillville, Ind. / Lake Central), who placed 11^th at 43.95 and now ranks third in program history. Isabella Smith (Chesterton, Ind. / Chesterton) established a PR of 44.02 (12^th), outdoing her mark from last season. She now sits fourth in program lore as three of the top four indoor 300 times in program history came on Saturday.
• Pusateri led the team in the 60m prelims by finishing 12^th at 8.07, while fellow freshman Juliana Ferrara (Fox River Grove, Ill. / Cary-Grove) was third in the 500 at 1:22.53.
• In the women’s one-mile run, Amelia Tisdale (Franklin, Ind. / Franklin Community) paced the team by placing sixth at 5:50.80.
• In the women’s throws, Amelia Tandy (New Albany, Ind. / New Albany) placed seventh in the shot put at 11.77m, while Tori Gerhardt (Westville, Ind. / Chesterton) was seventh in the weight throw at 15.79m.
• On the men’s side, Micah Mullings (Minesing, Ontario, Canada / Barrie North) delivered personal bests in both the high jump (1.92m, 6-3.5, seventh) and the long jump (7.21m, 23-8.75, second). That marked the second best indoor long jump in program history and best since Jarrett Mickens set the program record at 24-2.25 in 2011.
• In the men’s running events, Anthony Vassolo (Tinley Park, Ill. / Andrew) again stood out. He placed sixth of 23 with a PR of 35.97 in the 200. Alex Valerio (Rockford, Ill. / Boylan Catholic) in a third-place finish in the one-mile run at 4:41.05. Tim Whitelaw led the team in the 60m at 7.21 seconds (13^th), while Carter Ostrander (Portage, Ind. / Portage) finished fifth in the 60m hurdles at 8.91.
• In the men’s throws, Nate Smith led the way in the shot put at 14.35m (seventh), while Will Rinker (Valparaiso, Ind. / Chesterton) had the team’s top weight throw at 15.76m (seventh). 

Up Next

The Beacons will return to action in the new year on Saturday, Jan. 20 at the GVSU Mike Lints Alumni Meet in Allendale, Mich.