Wheatley sets school record to lead Storm at Nebraska Wesleyan

LINCOLN, Neb. — Emmitt Wheatley set a school record in the 200 meters to lead the Simpson track and field team at the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolf Invitational on Friday.

Wheatley's win in the 200 was one of five, top-three finishes for the Storm, who hit the track for the first time in 2017. Dylan Kalinay won the 60 hurdles, Wheatley took second in the 60, Kyle Hovey came in second in the 1,000 and Travis Tupper took third in the 60.

No team scores were kept.

Wheatley broke the tape in 22.03 in the 200, breaking the record of 22.48 set by Aaron Arment in 2013. Due to the race being contested at an oversized track, the time converts to 22.42 for national ranking purposes, putting Wheatley at seventh in Division III through Friday night. He added a second-place effort in the 60 meters, finishing in 6.99.

Kalinay had the other first-place finish for the Storm, crossing the finish line in a personal-best 8.25 to get the win. His time currently ranks fourth in Division III.

Hovey ran the best race of his career in the 1,000 meters, running 2:36.72 to finish 2 seconds off the pace set by Midland's Ty Hansen. 

Though he was outdone by Wheatley in the sprints, Tupper managed to put up a pair of top-25 efforts in the 60 and 200 meters. He placed third in the 60, running 7.01, currently 16th in the nation. He came in fourth in the 200, running a personal-best 22.30. The time converts to 22.70, good for 22nd nationally.

UP NEXT
Simpson will take part in the UNI Jack Jennett Invitational on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 26-27. 

MEET REPORT
60 meters — 2. Emmitt Wheatley, 6.99; 3. Travis Tupper, 7.01 (#16)
200 meters — 1. Emmitt Wheatley, 22.03 (SR, PR, #7); 4. Travis Tupper, 22.30 (PR, #22)
400 meters — 12. Chase Wetterling, 51.98
600 meters — 7. Jordan Coughenour, 1:24.39; 10. Trevor McKee, 1:25.82
1000 meters — 2. Kyle Hovey, 2:36.72 (PR); 7. Levi Lefebure, 2:41.14
1 mile — 20. Thomas Kolbo, 4:53.52
3000 meters — 9. Ian McKenzie, 9:22.91
60 hurdles — 1. Dylan Kalinay, 8.25 (PR, #4); 7. Isaac Frazier, 8.71
4x400 relay — 5. Coughenour, Wetterling, Mckee, Zweifel, 3:25.93
High jump — 8. Isaiah Strong, 1.86m; t11. Sam Adeniyi, 1.86m; t11. Isaac Frazier, 1.86m
Pole vault — 18. Mitch Stoltzman, 4.05m
Long jump — 25. Brian Rew, 5.25m
Shot put — 22. Caleb Striegel, 12.47m