The Valparaiso University track and field team saw numerous individuals turn in standout performances on Saturday at the Twilight Invitational hosted by the University of Illinois in Champaign. Ben Sekuloski (Lowell, Ind. / Lowell), Bryce Otterbach (Mendota, Ill. / Mendota Township), Jake Rasawehr (Celina, Ohio / Celina), Jeremy Seiler (Angola, Ind. / Fremont) and Will Maidment (Woodstock, Ill. / Woodstock) were among the team’s Top 5 finishers, while Sierra Fischer (Brookfield, Wis. / Brookfield [Carrol]) entered the Top 5 in program history in a pair of events. Dominic Paoletti (Monroe, Mich. / Monroe St. Mary) also made his way into the program record book on Saturday.

How It Happened

• Paoletti had an outstanding performance in the men’s 5,000-meter run, running a 14:55.12, bettering his seed time by seven seconds. In addition, he climbed over two of his current teammates (Alexander Bruno and Jack Mader) in the Valpo record book in that event and sits fourth all-time. His 5,000-meter run time was Valpo’s best since 2003.
• Fischer placed eighth in the women’s 200-meter dash with a time of 25.99, cracking the program’s outdoor record book in that event. She edged out Makyba Lyons (1999, 26.00) for a spot in the Top 5.
• In addition to her performance in the 200, Fischer placed sixth in the women’s 400 dash. She improved her personal best time, which is also the team’s top time of the year, by clocking in at 58.98, allowing her to take over fifth in program history in that event as well. She bumped Amanda Meyer (2004, 59.52) from the Top 5.
• Rasawehr upped his season best to a 162-10 (49.64m) in the men’s discus. That was good enough for a third-place finish.
• Also cracking the Top 3 in his event was Seiler, who placed third in the pole vault thanks to a 15-5 (4.70).
• Sekuloski turned in a personal season best in the 400 dash with a 49.13, placing fifth. He owns the team’s top time in that event this season.
• Otterbach’s Top 5 finish came in the 400 hurdles, where he turned in a time of 57.26 to place fifth. It was his season best and the team’s top time of the year.
• Maidment took third in the men’s high jump at 6-2.75 (1.90m). He equaled his season best.
• TJ Weinzimmer (Northbrook, Ill. / Glenbrook North) finished sixth in the men’s long jump at 20-10 (6.35m), while Sydney Bronner (Frankenmuth, Mich. / Frankenmuth) continued her first season of collegiate track and field with a Top 10 finish in the women’s high jump at 4-11 (1.50m).
• Another of Valpo’s Top 10 finishes came courtesy of Lauren Mikolajczk (Bloomingdale, Ill. / Montini Catholic), who was ninth in the women’s hammer at 139-05 (42.50m). Narrowly outside the Top 10 was Rasawehr in the men’s hammer as he placed 11^th at 42.32.
• Elsewhere in the throws, Hayley Krulik (Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point) turned in her season best in the women’s shot put at 35-6 (10.82) and finished 11^th.
• Anne Mou (Bloomingdale, Ill. / Lake Park) enjoyed a sixth-place showing in the women’s javelin, posting a distance of 90-07 (27.62m).
• Taylor Allen (Zionsville, Ind. / Zionsville) finished in the Top 15 in a pair of events. He dashed to a time of 22.59 in the men’s 200 to place 11^th while coming in 13^th in the men’s 100 at 11.27. Both of Allen’s times marked personal season bests and team watermarks.
• Valpo’s 4x400 relay of Sekuloski, Allen, Otterbach and Emanuel Daggett (Chicago, Ill. / Gavit) placed third in 3:24.63 to earn six points for the team.

Up Next

Valpo will return to action on Thursday, April 25 as part of the Hillsdale College Gina Relays in Hillsdale, Mich. for the first day of a three-day event. Valpo will also be represented in the Lenny Lyles/Clark Wood Invitational, which is slated to begin on Friday, April 26 in Louisville, Ky.