The Valparaiso University men’s and women’s track and field teams competed Saturday on Day 1 of the Horizon League Indoor Championships, held at Youngstown State University. The men are in third place with 27 points. One individual and one relay squad left Day 1 with top honors in their events - junior Andrew Guzek (Valparaiso, Ind. / Valparaiso) and the young distance medley relay of freshmen Jack Mader and Bryce Otterbach (Mendota, Ill. / Mendota Township), sophomore Alexander Bruno (Bloomington, Ill./University) and junior Ben Zibricky (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central)

How It Happened

• Guzek tossed the weight 58’4” to secure his Horizon League Championship. He defeated the second-place finisher by over three feet, awarding the junior 10 points for the team score.
• The DMR team crossed the line at 10:06.59, which lands second all-time in Crusader history. The men came 14 seconds short of clipping the record set a year ago.
• In the pole vault, teammates freshman Jeremy Seiler (Angola, Ind. / Fremont) and junior Alexander Watson (Bolivar, Ohio / Tuscarawas Valley) went second and third with a height of 15’1 1/2". Both move into second all-time in team history in the event.
• Junior Brandon Riley (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) and freshman Sekuloski qualified for tomorrow’s 400m dash event. The upperclassman crossed the finish at 49.23, just beating Sekuloski, who had a 49.51. Riley’s time places him first all-time in the event, with the rookie landing in second.
• Sophomore Connor Hickey (Peru, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) sits in sixth place after Day 1 of the heptathlon, amassing 2,230 points.
• Zibricky moves on toward the 800m finals.
• Leading the women this afternoon, senior Liz Owen (Freedom, Wis. / Freedom) finished first in the 800m dash in the preliminary round, moving on to Sunday’s finals. Almost eclipsing her second-best time in Valpo history.
• Sophomore Chidimma Ozodi (South Milwaukee, Wis. / South Milwaukee) and freshman Anne Mou (Bloomingdale, Ill. / Lake Park) tied in the long jump event with a leap of 16’0 1/4".
• Freshman Kayla Horne (Chicago, Ill./Luther North College Prep) enters fifth-place in team history in the 400m dash with a time of 60.00.
• Freshman Nicole Berneche (Glen Ellyn, Ill. / Glenbard West) led the squad in the 5,000m race.

Next Up

The Crusaders continue the Championships on Sunday at Youngstown State. The first events begin at 8 a.m. CT.