INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

The Huntington track and field program sent a partial squad to the Grand Valley State University Holiday Open on Friday where the Foresters claimed four automatic NAIA qualifying times (A standards), two provisional times (B standards) and set three new school records. The field of competition included NCAA Division I, II and III as well as several fellow NAIA schools.

Aspen Dirr, in her final season of competition as a Forester, headlined the HU crew by punching her ticket to the 2020 NAIA Indoor National Championships twice. She finished 17th overall in the 5K in an HU record-breaking time of 17:19.37 to hit the A standard. She followed up that performance by taking second in the 1K in 2:57.32 for her second automatic qualifying time of the day.

Molly Mitchell was the lone Forester to bring home a 1st place finish by edging out Dirr in the 1K in 2:56.58. Her time not only proved the second fastest time in HU history but also guarantees her a spot at nationals.

Making her debut in track, IU transfer Hannah Stoffel took 2nd in the 3K. Her time of 9:22.91 broke the Forester record by almost a minute and rounded out HU’s fourth A standard of the meet.

On the men’s side, three Foresters ran the 5K with junior Elijah Chesterman leading the pack by posting a 40th place finish in 15:00.26. It was a PR for the Huntington native, the third fastest time in school history and a B standard. Haile Stutzman also hit the B mark by taking 42nd in 15:00.79 which lands him the fourth spot in the Huntington record books.

Kent Yoder finished 58th overall in 15:27.88. Like the other two, it was a new PR. He also leaves his mark in the history books as the eighth fastest time. Josiah Sovine ran a 1:23.20 in the 600 meters to finish 3rd.

A full Forester squad competed in Purdue Fort Wayne’s Mastodon Open today. Results to follow on Sunday.