This past weekend, May 1-2, the Bees raced at the CCAC Championships in Joliet, Ill.

The men's team took second place with 207 points, and the women came in third with 146 points.

Two individuals received meet awards, including Joe Reinhart, who received the Men's Most Outstanding Field Performer for his hammer throw performance, where he hit the second-best mark in the NAIA this season. He threw a school-record and personal-record distance of 63.12 meters. Elijah House received Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer by placing first in the 800m while setting a new personal record with a B standard of 1:51.75. House also scored in the 4x800m and 4x400m relays. 

Some national qualifying marks that took place include Reinhart, House, and Kaitlyn Knoche, who hit the A standard with a time of 10:56 in the 3000m steeplechase. Also in the steeplechase, Lauren Johnson met the national B standard with a time of 11:17.25.

Some personal records (PRs) on the men's side include Jeremy Bachus in the 100m dash running 11.48 seconds, Javon Bruce in the 400m dash placing fifth (49.73), and Gavin Stalzer and Brady Belz in the 400m hurdles (1:06.29 and 57.19). Chris Miserendino and Anthony Conard PRd in the 1500m (3:56.63 and 4:25.4), Jack Lied in the 800m (2:02.4), and Ian Eller, Kevin Chaney, and Benett Boatright in the 3000m steeplechase with times of 9:54, 10:20 and 10:51.

In the longer events, Shyam Devasthali set a personal record in the 5000m run (17:41) while Ross Willerth and Jack Degner set new personal bests in the 10,000m run (32:08 and 33:49).

In the field events, PRs included Anthony Spiezio and Alex Potts in the hammer throw (47.21m and 41.78m), Dominic Neely in the pole vault (4.05m), Taylor Snook in the javelin (49.62m), and Trenton Blackwell in the shot put (14.12m). 

Placement wise in the CCAC, some individuals took the podium including Kaizer Riley placing third in the 100m finals. House was first and Dylan Grandon was third in the 800m dash. Grandon and Chris Miserendino placed first and third in the 1500m. Luke Getz was second in the 10,000m run, Belz took second in the 110m hurdle finals and Ian Eller was third in the steeplechase.

Josiah Carter placed third in the high jump, Joshua Mottet won the pole vault, Leavell Windfield Jr. took second in the triple jump, Reinhart placed third in the shot put, and Brandt Williams placed first in the javelin.

With the relays, the SAU men took first in both the 4x800m and 4x400m.

Onto the women's side, where Adeline Smith, Kaitlyn Knoche, and Lauren Johnson PRd in the 3,000m steeplechase and the 5,000m run (18:15, 17:37, 18:23 and 11:36, 10:56, 11:17).

Other records personally broken included Allison Hein in the 10,000m run (39:21), Tosin Oshin and Kayla Hess in the javelin throw (18.27m and 27.03m), Loryn Heil in the 1500m (5:43), Danielle Moore in the 800m (2:25.28), and Lynzie Cady in the 400m (1:01.81). Claire O'Melia, Cady, and Lucy Oehler set PRs in the 200m dash with times of 25.24, 26.66, and 26.70 seconds; Sarah Jordan also PRd in the 100m dash with a time of 12.05.

Several individuals who took podium include a sweep of both steeple and the 5,000m runs by Knoche, Johnson, and Smith for steeple, and Knoche, Smith and Johnson in the 5,000m run. The 4x100m relay placed third, Ryleigh Warden was third in the pole vault, Bree Neumiller placed second in the shotput and won the discus, and Ryleigh Warden placed third in the javelin throw.

Throughout all the personal bests, all-conference placements and national qualifiers, the Bees have worked hard all season and this has shown to be paying off. The next few weeks before Nationals consist of extra meets. NAIA nationals are scheduled for May 20-22, on the campus of UNC Asheville in Asheville, N.C.