DES MOINES, Iowa – It was never close. Junior Brogan Austin (Boone, Iowa) took the early lead and won the 5,000 meters by more than five seconds Sunday afternoon at the 2013 MVC Outdoor Championships.
The Bulldogs finished fifth overall in the team standing with 85 points while the Sycamores of Indiana State won the MVC title with 198.5 points on the weekend.
Sunday Results | Sunday Photos - MVC - DU Men - DU Women
Austin's win in 14:28.53 marked his third win in the event this season in big meets. He previously won the 5,000 meters at the MVC Indoor Championships and the Drake Relays. The Relays win was the first by a Drake athlete since 1995.
“I haven't won anything outdoors after being redshirted last year and freshman year being before that,” Austin said. “It was good to get some jitters out and know that I can peak well for outdoors now. It's just special to get another conference title for our team.”
The Bulldogs' second title came in the last event of the weekend, the 4x400-meter relay. The team of freshman Kai Asberry (Carrollton, Texas), sophomore Steven Jordan (McFarland, Wis.), and juniors Travis Marsh (Ankeny, Iowa) and Brett Wright (Longmont, Colo.) won an exciting race in 3:10.47. The time is five seconds better than their previous best this season.
“We all just gave it our best effort,” Jordan, who took the lead in the third leg, said. “I am very proud of how our team performed.”
Jordan was also fourth in the finals of the 200 meters, clocking in at 22.14. After the meet he was named the Elite 18 award winner for men's track and field. The award goes to the student-athlete who places at the meet and holds the highest GPA. Jordan holds a 4.0 in Pharmacy. Austin won the award in the fall for cross country.
The 4x100-meter team of Marsh, Asberry, Jordan and freshman Scott Goad (Dixon, Ill.) was third in 41.68. The team led for a portion of the race, but a mishap on a baton exchange slowed them into third.
Earlier in the afternoon, Wright made the medal stand with a scintillating finish in the 400 meters. Wright came from behind and caught Illinois State's Antonio Farley, edging him by three-hundredths of the a second, 48.033 to 48.036 to place third.
Freshman James Saxton (La Crosse, Wis.) ended a tremendous inaugural campaign by claiming fourth in the 800 meters. He ran a personal best time of 1:53.35 while junior Omet Kak (Des Moines, Iowa) lost a shoe during the race, but recovered and finished in sixth, 1:53.71.
In the 1,500 meters freshman Rob McCann (Mississauga, Ontario) had another personal best claiming forth in 5:53.38. Fifth-year senior Charlie Lapham (Golden Valley, Minn.) ended his MVC career with a top ten finish, crossing the line in 10th in 3:57.13.
Next up for the Bulldogs will be the NCAA West Regionals, held in Austin, Texas May 23-25.
2013 MVC Outdoor Championships
Team Results
1. Indiana State, 198.5
2. Wichita State, 168.5
3. Southern Illinois, 161
4. Northern Iowa, 113
5. Drake, 85
6. Illinois State, 71
7. Bradley, 11
Drake Results
Men's Results
200 Meters
4. Steven Jordan, 22.14, five points
400 Meters
3. Brett Wright, 48.04, - Personal and Drake season best
800 Meters
4. James Saxton, 1:53.35 – Personal best
6. Omet Kak, 1:53.71
1500 Meters
4. Rob McCann, 3:53.38, five points
10. Charlie Lapham, 3:57.13
16. Ali Jandal, 4:06.38
18. Ryan Flynn, 4:11.41
19. Calvin Daack, 4:11.43
5,000 Meters
1. Brogan Austin, 14:28.53, 10 points
13. Guy Eckman, 15:13.55
22. Ian Harkreader, 16:32.81
400 Hurdles
7. Travis Marsh, 53.77, 2 points
4x100 Relay
3. Drake 'A', 41.68, 6 points
Travis Marsh, Kai Asberry, Scott Goad, Steven Jordan
4x400 Relay
1. Drake 'A', 3:10.47, 10 points
Kai Asberry, Travis Marsh, Steven Jordan, Brett Wright
Discus
16. Andy Curtis, 144-10
17. Isaac Twombly, 144-6
Triple Jump
9. Sean Buczek, 43-11.25
10. Alex Kaster 42-7.5
