Bruin Track captures five top-three finishes at Fred Beile Classic

CRETE, Neb. -- Members of the Bruin track team placed second in three events and third in two more at Saturday's Fred Beile Track and Field Classic hosted by Doane University. Those runs also produced a school record and four NSAA Top Ten performances.

Griffin Kipchumba began his indoor season and the day's events with the second-fastest clocking in Bruin history, which was over 5,000 meters. He ran an NSAA No. 2 mark of 16:22.56 to finish eighth overall.

Another debut at 400 meters saw Ronald Kipyegon run to a school record mark of 51.58 seconds as he finished in the runner-up spot and moved to the No. 5 spot in the NSAA.

Richard Marcoux and Xavier Mallow went one-two in the mile run. Marcoux maintained his top NSAA ranking with a season-best of 4:21.57. Runner-up Mallow came home in 4:25.87, No. 3 in the NSAA. Jose Lara Flores also recorded two solid performances, placing seventh in 4:32.61, while Collin Kotz ran a season-best 4:44.95 to finish in the top ten.

Marcoux and Mallow returned to the track a short time later to finish third and fourth in the 1000-meter run in 2:41.16 and 2:44.00, respectively, the second and third fastest times on the Bruin all-time list.

The final event for the men was the 3,000 meters, where Jose Lara ran to a runner-up finish with a 9:13.10 (No. 7 NSAA), Kotz turned in a seventh place 9:31.05 and Alejandro Corona Martinez ran a personal best 10:33.96.

The Bruin women contested three events, with Alicia Rivera Camargo placing ninth in 3:35.63 at 1000 meters, Ashley Guatemala running 6:29.57 in the mile, and Kimberly Kisoryo finishing the 800 meters in 3:45.55.

The Bruins conclude their regular indoor schedule next Friday and Saturday when they travel to Northwest Missouri State for the Bearcat Invite and then conclude their season the following weekend with the NSAA Championship at SDSU in Brookings, S.D.