Trailblazer throwers shine at Jim Vargo Invitational

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Vincennes University men's and women's Track and Field teams were back in action Friday at the 2024 Jim Vargo Invitational hosted by Bellarmine University in Louisville.

The VU throwers stole the show for the Blue and Gold at Friday's meet, led by sophomore Madison Davis who had the best finish of the meet by taking second place in the shot put with a throw of 12.17 meters.

Davis also completed the daily double by taking 15th overall in the discus with a best throw of 31.13 meters.

On the men's side, sophomore and Indoor Heptathlon National Champion Olegs Kozjakovs led the way in the discus with a throw of 46.26 meters to take fifth.

Kozjakovs would also place in the top-10 in the shot put in a field of several NCAA Division I throwers, placing seventh with a throw of 14.21 meters.

Freshmen Jeremiah Ziebart and Jacob Wickman followed Kozjakovs in the discus throw with Ziebart posting a best throw of 43.86 meters for seventh and Wickman taking 16th with a throw of 35.52 meters.

Wickman also completed the daily double by taking 14th overall in the hammer throw with a throw of 37.19 meters.

"We had a really good meet with those that competed," VU Head Track and Field Coach Marty Rogier said. "I pulled our sprinters and vaulters because of the cold conditions. I thought the risk of getting someone hurt outweighed any rewards. We are hoping for some big things with this group at the National level and we need everyone healthy to reach those goals."

"Our throw group performed well and scored the majority of our points," Rogier added. "Jeremiah and Olegs had some very good throws in the discus. They look like they have some big throws coming. Madison had a good series of throws and our highest finish of the day with a second place finish."

Friday was also a big day for several of VU's runners as well, led by freshman Emilly Barbosa (Sao Paulo, Brazil) who placed seventh in the 800 meters with a final time of 2:17.77.

Freshmen Adi Fuller (Evansville, Ind.), Jasmyn Self (Casey, Ill.) and Grayson Haynes (Sebree, Ky.) also posted some good times in a very competitive field of Division I runners.

Fuller took 20th with a time of 2:26.86, Self placed 30th at 2:34.99 and Haynes came in 39th overall with a final time of 2:50.53.

Adi Fuller also took part in the 1500 meter race, placing 32nd at 5:04.57 and Barbosa, Self and Haynes teamed up with freshman Zinzile Gumpo to place 10h in the 4x400 relay with a time of 4:37.63.

Gumpo hit the track again to post a time of 15.86 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles, good for 10th overall.

The VU men's runners were led by the 4x400 relay team of freshmen Tanner Spence (Carmi, Ill.), Brahym Sakka (Tunisia), Alex Kwizera (Indianapolis, Ind.) and sophomore Matthew Gray (Washington, Ind.) who combined to take eighth with a time of 3:40.93.

Individually, Sakka led the way competing in three events on the day, posting a time of 1:58.89 in the 800 meters and a time of 4:04.08 in the 1500 meters, taking 25th and 18th in the respective events.

Matthew Gray and Tanner Spence followed Sakka in the 800 meters with Gray posting a time of 2:00.27 for 30th and Spence coming in at 2:01.69 for 36th.

Freshman Max Pendley (French Lick, Ind.) rounded out the VU finishers in the 800 meters with a time of 2:11.13 for 52nd overall.

In the 1500, Sakka was followed by Alex Kwizera who crossed the line with a time of 4:38.69 for 59th overall.

The Trailblazers continued to post good times on the track with sophomore Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) taking 11th in the 5000 meters with a time of 15:05.96.

Freshmen Cody Noel (Hebron, Ind.), Caden Hostetler (LaGrange, Ind.) and Nathan Whitehead (Vincennes, Ind.) followed Stanford in the 5000 meters with Noel placing 25th at 15:39.40, Hostetler taking 34th at 15:59.90 and Whitehead ending at 44th overall with a time of 16:42.84.

The VU day on the track was rounded out by freshman Zion Pruitt who took 13th in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:02.53.

"Adi got the day started for the distance squad with a 1500 PR, good for ninth in VU history," VU Assistant Track and Field/Distance Coach Tyler Steigenga said. "Brahym and Alex ran the 1500 as well, posting a season's best and personal best respectively."

"In the 800, Emilly ran a great race, good for a national qualifier and school record," Steigenga added. "She went out well and passed five runners in the last 200 meters, just missing out on the heat win. Adi came back to run a new PR in the 800, just missing out on another top ten mark by less than a second. In the heat after, Jasmyn got a PR and Grayson just missed out on her season's best."

"For the men, Brahym ran the second race of his triple and ran 1:58 after the field had a slow opening lap," Steigenga said. "Matthew and Tanner ran in the next heat, with Matthew getting a new PR of 2:00.27, just missing out on breaking the two-minute barrier. Max capped off the last heat with a new season's best of 2:11.

"Isaac ran in the first heat of the 5000," Steigenga added. "He came a little short of what we were hoping for but still managed to run a national qualifying mark and the fifth fastest time in school history. After Isaac, three more VU runners ran in the third heat. Cody led the entire race and ended up with a new PR of 15:39. Caden ran a very even race and picked it up at the end of the race to sneak under the 16-minute barrier by a tenth of a second. Nathan also managed a big PR, running 16:42."

"It's encouraging to see where we are at after the first two weeks of the season," Steigenga said. "Everyone has PRed in at least one race but most have done it in two. We will look to continue running well and keep adding to our number of National qualifiers in the coming weeks."

The Trailblazers will now have some time before their next meet on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 when VU heads to the 2024 Indiana Little State Championships in Marion, Ind.

This will begin the final regular season push for the Trailblazers as VU will close out the 2024 Outdoor regular season with the ISU Sycamore Open on Saturday, April 27 and the Billy Hayes Invite on Friday, May 3.

"I feel good that we have two weeks before our next meet," Rogier said. "We have some time to get some good training in and work on some technical things to get ready for our drive to the end of the season."

VINCENNES RESULTS

MEN'S RESULTS

800m

Brahym Sakka – 25, 1:58.89

Matthew Gray – 30, 2:00.27

Tanner Spence – 36, 2:01.69

Max Pendley – 52, 2:11.13

1500m

Brahym Sakka – 18, 4:04.08

Alex Kwizera – 59, 4:38.69

5000m

Isaac Stanford – 11, 15:05.96

Cody Noel – 25, 15:39.40

Caden Hostetler – 34, 15:59.90

Nathan Whitehead – 44, 16:42.84

400m Hurdles

Zion Pruitt – 13, 1:02.53

4x400 Relay

VU (Spence, Sakka, Kwizera, Gray) – 8, 3:40.93

Shot Put

Olegs Kozjakovs – 7, 14.21m

Discus

Olegs Kozjakovs – 5, 46.26m

Jeremiah Ziebart – 7, 43.86m

Jacob Wickman – 16, 35.52m

Hammer

Jacob Wickman – 14, 37.19m

WOMEN'S RESULTS

800m

Emilly Barbosa – 7, 2:17.77

Adi Fuller – 20, 2:26.86

Jasmyn Self – 30, 2:34.99

Grayson Haynes – 39, 2:50.53

1500m

Adi Fuller – 32, 5:04.57

100m Hurdles

Zinzile Gumpo – 10, 15.86

4x400 Relay

VU (Gumpo, Barbosa, Self, Haynes) – 10, 4:37.63

Shot Put

Madison Davis – 2, 12.17m

Discus

Madison Davis – 15, 31.13m