The Valparaiso University track and field teams participated in the first day of the Gibson Invitational, hosted by Indiana State in Terre Haute, Ind. on Friday. They began competition with the 5000-meter run, along with the hammer throw and javelin throw. Dylan Antonides (Wauconda, Ill./Homeschooled) led the way for the Crusaders with a win in the javelin. That helps put the Valpo men in second with 25 points in the team standings, 14 points behind the leader Indiana State. The Crusader women are currently tied for fifth.

How It Happened

• In the men’s 5000-meter run, freshman Dominic Paoletti (Monroe, Mich./Monroe St. Mary) was the top finisher for Valpo as he crossed the line in ninth with a time of 15:41.32.
• Senior Andrew Guzek (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) scored points with a third-place finish in the men’s hammer throw. His toss went 166 feet, 11 inches. Freshman Tony Elliott (Walkerton, Ohio/Sacred Heart) finished in sixth overall with an effort of 158-4.
• Sophomore Anne Mou (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) put the Valpo women on the board, scoring points in the javelin throw. Her heave went 81-11, which was enough for seventh place.
• Antonides’ throw went 177-0, which won the javelin event by almost 24 feet. The second-place finisher was Valpo junior Peter Rhodes (McLeansville, N.C./Burlington Christian Academy). Rhodes’ toss was marked at 153-7. Between the two, they scored 18 points for the Crusader men.

Up Next

The Crusaders are back in action at the Gibson Invitational on Saturday with field events beginning at noon CT and track events kicking off at 1 p.m. CT.