The Bradley track team competed in its second meet of the indoor season last weekend on Jan. 19 and 20 at the Gladstein Invitational. Additionally, the Braves left Bloomington, Indiana with four individual titles.
One title the Braves brought home was senior Taylor FloydMews’s victory in the one mile with a time of 4:04.89.
FloydMews’s time was a personal best and the second fastest time in Bradley history, placed behind teammate Michael Ward’s 4:02.86 in 2016.
“I was little a nervous coming in because I was put in the faster heat,” FloydMews said. “I just had to trust myself and my teammates. I surprised myself even when I won it and finished with a [personal record].”
FloydMews, who struggled with injuries last indoor season, said he is pleased to have two good races early in the year.
“Last year, I wasn’t in the best spot coming off my winter training,” FloydMews said. “This
year, I was able to have a good base, and it has been a great start to the indoor season.”
FloydMews’s winter training partner, sophomore Scott Seymour, captured the 600m run title in a time of 1:22.24.
Sophomore Alec Hartman won the 800m run with a time of 1:53.77. Freshman Ben Wagoner won the first collegiate title of his career in the 5,000m, a race he had never run before. Wagoner’s time of 15:03 ranks 10th in school history.
Head coach Darren Gauson said he is pleased with where the men’s team is at this point in the year.
“The men’s team is in a good spot,” Gauson said. “If we can get some of the younger guys moving along, we are going to be in really good shape. We still have five weeks until conference.”
On the women’s side, senior Hannah Witczak finished the 3000m run in a time of 9:53.35 in eighth place. Witczak’s time is the fastest in the conference so far this season and fifth best in Bradley history.
Also, Junior Natalie Burant finished fourth in the 5,000m run, just missing her career-best time at 17:47.77
Gauson will head to the Washington Invitational in Seattle on Saturday with Dan Gagne and FloydMews. The rest of the team will have the weekend off.
