FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Oakland Golden Grizzlies track and field teams showcased its talent this weekend at the Horizon League Championships, as the mens team placed third while the women's team place fourth.
Oakland also took home some specialty awards, as Tyler Donovan won Men's Freshman of the Year (Runner), Yami Albrecht earned Men's Championship Outstanding Performer (Running) and Romario Jackson was in a four-way tie for Men's Championship Outstanding Performer (Field).
The energy in the sprints was electric, led by Julian Bailey and Ke'Vina Finch. Bailey, who qualified with ease in the 60m and 200m, was a force to be reckoned with in the finals. In the 60m, he sprinted to a 5th-place finish (6.93), narrowly missing the podium. Determined to make a statement, Bailey came back in the 200m, where his late surge secured him third in 22.03.
On the women's side, Finch turned heads in the 200m, where her speed and precision earned her first with a blazing time of 24.72. She also powered her way to a 5th-place finish in the 60m (7.67), showing her range and resilience. Lauren Goodman added to the Golden Grizzlies' success in the 200m, clocking a strong 25.32 to finish 6th.
The middle-distance events were a showcase of Oakland's depth and strategy. In the men's 800m, Tyler Donovan proved to be a rising star. After comfortably qualifying in the prelims, Donovan stormed to victory in the finals with a time of 1:53.04, earning first and crucial points for the team.
The women's 800m was equally thrilling, with Ashley Quinn and Karenna Duffey leading the charge. Quinn's strong finish earned her third (2:13.69), while Duffey's grit saw her cross the line in 5th (2:15.52). Both were key contributors to the team's overall success.
In the longer races, Yami Albrecht left it all on the track. In the men's 1 Mile, Albrecht fought hard for a second-place finish (4:14.00), just ahead of teammate Anthony Hancock, who claimed third (4:15.68). The duo returned in the 3000m, where Albrecht's steady pace earned him another second-place finish (8:30.76), and Hancock added a 5th-place finish (8:33.40). Albrecht capped off his weekend with a strong 5th-place finish in the 5000m (14:33.92), capping a marathon of exceptional performances.
For the women, Erin Hegarty showcased her consistency and strength, placing 5th in the 3000m (9:44.11) and earning a spot on the podium with a 3rd-place finish in the 5000m (17:15.66). Teammate Grace Nolan recorded a personal best in the 3000m (9:47.71) and followed it with a 4th-place finish in the 5000m (17:17.29).
Oakland's throwers and jumpers added critical points to the team score. Alex Mansfield was dominant in the shot put, launching a meet-winning throw of 17.11m to claim first. In the weight throw, Romario Jackson secured another first-place finish with a toss of 17.67m, while Mansfield added 5th-place points in the same event (16.26m).
For the women, Jamie Giese shined in the shot put, earning second with a mark of 13.81m, while Alexa Messina soared to third-place in the pole vault, clearing 3.71m.
The championships concluded with thrilling relay performances. The men's 4x400m relay team delivered a clutch performance, taking second in 3:22.55. On the women's side, the 4x400m team fought hard for a 6th-place finish (3:58.62).
In the distance medley relays, the men's team secured 4th place (10:11.64), while the women's team finished 5th (12:18.39), adding valuable points to the team totals.
