The Valparaiso University track and field teams participated in the first day of the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships, hosted by Indiana State in Terre Haute, Ind. on Friday. Freshman Carli Sowonik (Hebron, Ind./Hebron) highlighted the day with a record-breaking performance in the women’s pole vault. The newcomer broke a tie by over four inches for the top spot in the event – first set in 2012 and matched in 2016. The men have accumulated eight points, while the women have five so far with two days remaining in the event.

How It Happened

• Sowonik scored the only points of the day for the Valpo women with her performance. She placed fourth overall, reaching a height of 12 feet, 1¼ inches. That replaces the previous mark of 11-9¾. Sowonik had moved up on the all-time list earlier in the season when she reached 11-5¾ on April 7.
• Junior Alexander Bruno (Bloomington, Ill./University) qualified in the men’s 1500-meter run with the second-fastest time of 4:00.65. He will race in the finals on Sunday.
• In the men’s hammer throw, senior Andrew Guzek (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) finished in the Top 10 with a toss of 167-11, which was good for 10^th.
• The men’s javelin saw Dylan Antonides (Wauconda, Ill./Homeschooled) score points for the Crusaders with a fourth-place finish. His throw was measured at 168-9.
• Also scoring points in the men’s javelin was junior Peter Rhodes (McLeansville, N.C./Burlington Christian Academy), who went 164-3 to place sixth.

Up Next

The Crusaders will continue the MVC Championship on Saturday in Terre Haute, Ind. with field events beginning at 2 p.m. CT and track events taking off at 4 p.m. CT. Links to live video (ESPN+) and results are available.