Drake University sophomore Isaac Basten won his second Missouri Valley Conference title Friday afternoon when he took top honors in the men's 5,000 meters.
 
Basten's 5,000-meter title comes one year after he earned league Freshman of the Year honors with his 3,000-meter title. Basten bested the field by five full seconds in a race that actually covered 5,200 meters due to an officiating error.
 
His title is the seventh 5,000-meter title by a Bulldog and the second-straight year Drake has won the event after his teammate Maximilian Fridrich won it last season.
 
The women also scored points in the 5,000 meters as Elizabeth Aho finished fifth in 17:39.12. Her finish was a huge personal best of nearly 40 seconds for the senior as she continues to assemble a strong season.
 
In the field events, Joey Harkins capped his outstanding indoor season by earning runner-up honors in the weight throw with a personal best of 66-5.25 (20.25m) that bettered his previous best by nearly two feet. His throw which ranks second in the Drake record books, marks the highest finish in the event by a Bulldog since 2013 and the best throw in the event since 2013 as well. Ethan Marshall also made the final in the event and finished ninth at 55-6.5 (16.93m). That personal-best throw ranks as the fourth-best in program history.
 
Cloud Masibhera also scored with a fourth-place showing in the long jump. His mark of 23-8.75 (7.23m) was just shy of a career best, but easily his best jump of the season.
 
In preliminary heats, the women advanced two student athletes to the finals of 200 meters as Yinka Mary Ajayi and Busiwa Asinga had the fourth and fifth fastest qualifying times of the day. Ajayi finished in 25.09 while Asinga clocked a personal best of 25.20.
 
In the team standings, Drake's men are third with 24 points while the women are ninth with just four events scored.
 
The second of three days of action at the MVC Championship starts Saturday 9:30 a.m. with the men's events. The women's day begins at 4:30 p.m.


Drake Individual Men's Results
200 Meters – Prelims
11. Victor Peka, 22.76
 
5,000 Meters (5,200m)
1. Isaac Basten, 15:31.29
 
Distance Medley Relay
8. Drake, 10:45.83
 
Long Jump
4. Cloud Masibhera, 23-8.75 (7.23m)
 
Weight Throw
2. Joey Harkins, 66-5.25 (20.25m)
9. Ethan Marshall, 55-6.5 (16.93m)
17. Austin Jentz, 46-1.5 (14.06m)
 
 
Drake Individual Women's Results
200 Meters
4. Yinka Mary Ajayi, 25.09
5. Busiwa Asinga, 25.20
14. Keaton Kester, 25.65
18. Briandria Rhodes, 25.93
22. Rutendo Mafuta, 26.86
 
5,000 Meters
5. Elizabeth Aho, 17:39.12
 
Distance Medley Relay
8. Drake, 13:25.20
 
Long Jump
13. Ayana Brown, 17-3.5 (5.27m)