Storm jump up one spot in new edition of regional rankings

NEW ORLEANS - The Simpson men's track and field team rose one spot to ninth in the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Rankings after the team's performance at the American Rivers Conference Indoor Championships.

The Storm moved up a spot after collecting eight marks from competing athletes at last weekend's conference championships that were good enough to contribute to the Storm's total of 127.17 points. Spencer Moon accounted for around 55 of those points, ranking in the top six in the region in three different events. Moon's 5000 meter record of 14:07.35 ranks first in the region, while his 3000 meter time of 8:15.79 checks in at second. Lastly, Moon ranks sixth in the mile with a time of 4:08.77.

Carter Berkey is the other Storm athlete to lead the region in an event, with his school-record mark of 7.22 meters in the long jump still pacing all regional jumpers. Ulysses Patterson is also 16th in the region in the event, with a leap of 6.80 meters. Patterson is also ranked in the region in the high jump (1.85 meters), 60 meter hurdles (8.84), and heptathlon (4,704 points), with his heptathlon performance ranking fifth. Clarke Latcham is right behind Patterson in sixth in the heptathlon with a score of 4,667 points. Latcham also ranks in the top 20 in the high jump with a mark of 1.91 meters.

Max Cleveland improved his career-best in the 60 meter hurdles to 8.17 at the A-R-C Championships, moving into fifth in the region. Cleveland, along with Patterson, will also be competing at the Wartburg Qualifier this weekend to try and earn a spot to the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships.

Brendan Godbout also ranked in the top 20 in the 60 meter hurdles and was a member of the distance medley relay team alongside Cade Mash, Corbin Truitt, and Ean Warrick that placed 10th in the region, with both performances occurring in the conference championships.