Storm men defend title in 4x200 on first day of IIAC Championships
DUBUQUE, Iowa — The men's 4x200-meter relay team defended its conference title and the distance medley relay set a school record to highlight the Simpson men's track and field team's first day at the 2017 Iowa Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Emmitt Wheatley and Dylan Kalinay posted the top qualifying times in the 55 meters and 55 hurdles, respectively, and the Storm sit in sixth place with 20 points after the first day of competition. Dubuque leads the way with 51 points, followed by Nebraska Wesleyan (42) and Loras (34).
Wheatley and Kalinay joined Travis Tupper and Chase Wetterling to win a second-straight conference title in the indoor 4x200 meter relay, edging Dubuque for the crown. The foursome broke the tape in 1:28.79, topping the school record of 1:29.31 set at last year's championship.
The distance medley relay team also broke a school record set in 2016 as the team of Kyle Hovey, Kirk Wicks, Jordan Coughenour and Ian McKenzie ran 10:24.16 to place third, good for all-conference honors.
Tomorrow's 55-meter finals will feature three Storm runners. Wheatley ran 6.52 for the top qualifying time, Kalinay ran 6.53 for second and Tupper ran 6.56 for fourth.
The Storm will also be well represented in the 55 hurdles. Kalinay ran 7.56 for the top time, Isaac Frazier came in third with 7.92 and Sam Adeniyi earned a lane, running 7.96 for sixth.
Kalinay's time converts to 8.14 in the 60 hurdles, a new personal-best and currently the No. 6 time in Division III.
Frazier had a solid day to begin defense of his conference title in the heptathlon, scoring 2,806 points. He is currently in second place behind Central's Will Daniels (2,910). Frazier ran the 55 in 6.78 seconds, cleared 6-4 1/4 in the high jump, hit the sand in 21-3/4 in the long jump and had a toss of 38-9 3/4 in the shot put.
He finishes the two-day competition Saturday beginning with his specialty, the 55 hurdles. The pole vault and 1,000 meters are the final two events.
SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE
9 a.m. — Heptathlon resumes
10 a.m. — Field events begin
1 p.m. — Running events begin
TOP FINISHERS
5,000 meters
19. Trey Thompson, 15:53.14
21. Chad Carter, 16:32.70
4x200 relay
1. Wheatley, Kalinay, Tupper, Wetterling, 1:28.79 | SCHOOL RECORD
Distance medley relay
3. Hovey, Wicks, Coughenour, McKenzie, 10:24.16 | SCHOOL RECORD
Pole vault
5. Mitch Stoltzman, 13-feet, 1 3/4 inches
Long jump
16. Austin Greenwalt, 19-feet, 3 1/2 inches
Shot put
18. Jackson Kelley, 40-feet, 9 1/2 inches
Heptathlon through 4 events
2. Isaac Frazier, 2,806
55 hurdle prelims
1. Dylan Kalinay, 7.56
3. Isaac Frazier, 7.92
6. Sam Adeniyi, 7.96
55 meter prelims
1. Emmitt Wheatley, 6.52
2. Dylan Kalinay, 6.53
4. Travis Tupper, 6.56
