The Valparaiso University track & field teams headed to Purdue University in West Lafayette for the Fred Wilt Open on Saturday. Junior Jeremy Seiler (Angola, Ind./Fremont) took first in the pole vault, while senior Sydney Bronner (Frankenmuth, Mich./Frankenmuth) began her track & field career by earning a place in the record books.

How It Happened

• Bronner, who finished an illustrious career with the Valpo volleyball program this fall, made her collegiate track & field debut on Saturday. Her high jump of 5-1¼ (1.56m) is third in program history. Meanwhile, Seiler took first in the pole vault, matching his height from Friday at 15-7 (4.75m). Seiler remains in possession of third in program history in that event.
• Jake Rasawehr (Celina, Ohio/Celina) recorded his personal best and team-leading weight throw with a toss of 52-6½ (16.01m), finishing seventh in the event.
• Taylor Justison (Catham, Ill./Glenwood) took a big step forward and set her personal best in the mile, finishing at 5:27.05. That time is the women’s team’s best of the season. Justison also competed in the 800m run and recorded a time of 2:34.63.
• In the men’s mile, sophomore Joey Black (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) made his season debut in the event and finished third with a time of 4:24.57.
• Sophomore Will Maidment (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock) recorded a personal best for the indoor high jump with a mark of 6-5 (1.96m). Maidment nearly became the first athlete to crack the program’s Top 5 in the event since 1998, but his attempt at the 6-7 (2.01m) bar ultimately fell short.
• Taylor Allen (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) and Ben Sekuloski (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) led the way for the men in the 200m dash. While Allen’s time of 23.04 just missed Sekuloski’s season record (23.03), he was able to finish fifth in the event. Sekuloski came in at 23.16, finishing seventh.
• Sierra Fischer (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield (Carroll) nearly matched her best time of the season, running a 1:00.39 in the 400m.

Thoughts from Head Coach Ryan Moore

“It’s great to see our groups hitting marks at this time of the year as we begin to enter the championship phase of the season. It’s a great feeling to know that you are improving week-to-week.”

“At the same time, it’s also important to recognize where you are in the training cycle and not let frustrations get the best of you if things don’t go as planned. We are working toward big things over the next couple of weeks and I am confident we will be at our best when the time is right.”

Up Next

Valpo will again head to Allendale, Mich. and Grand Valley State on Feb. 15 for the GVSU Tune-Up. The two squads competed there back on Jan. 25 and combined to finish sixth overall in the GVSU Open.