FINDLAY, Ohio – UPIKE men's and women's track and field opened the 2024-25 season Friday at the Oiler Opener & Multi meet hosted by University of Findlay.  

On the men's side, David Exum qualified for NAIA Indoor Nationals with a 17.67m toss in the weight throw and finished third overall in the event. Zeke Hagley threw a personal best and finished sixth in the weight throw and also made finals in the shot put with a 14.72m toss. Also setting new personal bests in the weight throw were Langston Gibson, Aaron Coffey, Keaton Day, Tenzing Lindeman, and Brad Henson.  

Zachary Mason set a new school record with a 1.84m in the high jump and Avery Adderley made the finals in the triple jump. Jon Luke Fields and Josh Greathouse set personal bests in the 60-meter dash with scores of 7.28 and 8.23, respectively. Fields and Greathouse also set personal records in the 200-meter dash. 

On the women's side, Heaven Carver set a new school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.79. Carver also tied a personal best in the 200-meter dash after sprinting 27.88. In the 60-meter dash, Kylie Hall ran a 8.57 while Sierra Allen and Jaida Garrett both finished with a 8.62. The times recorded by Hall, Allen, and Garrett were all new personal bests.  

In the weight throw, Gabby Cook threw 11.70m and Valerie Kendrick threw 11.50m. Both Cook and Kendrick qualified for the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships with their marks. Freshman Rylee Theiss made her UPIKE debut and threw a personal-best 8.59m in the weight throw.  

Coach David Espinoza's squad will be back in action next Friday in Bloomington, Ind., for the Indiana Early Bird Meet hosted by Indiana University. Next Friday's meet is also the last meet of the fall semester for the track and field Bears.  

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