Graduate student Niki Ezeh attempts the long jump during a track meet last season at Illinois State. Ezeh broke the program record in long jump with a mark of 5.59 meters. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics.

SHAWN WHEELER | STAFF REPORTER | stwheeler@butler.edu 

On Feb. 4-5, the Butler men’s and women’s track and field squad traveled to South Bend, Indiana to continue their season in the Meyo Invitational. 

Many Bulldogs found great success in their events, as multiple personal bests were posted and a pair of school records were broken at the Meyo Invitational.

On the men’s side, Simon Bedard finished second in the Meyo Mile with an impressive time of 3:58.34. Bedard’s performance was the third fastest in the Big East this season and it broke a program record that had stood since 2010.

In the 400 meter race, Jacob Uhl earned second place with a personal best time of 47.32. 

All three Bulldogs competing in the 600 meter race — Matthew Wigelsworth, Trey Harris and Chandler McGaha — ran personal bests. Wigelsworth and Harris also set personal bests in the 800 meter race. Wigelsworth’s 800 meter time of 1:49.96 was the second fastest in school history and earned him a sixth place finish.

Both Butler runners who competed in the Ryan Shay 3000 meter race also accomplished personal bests. Evan Byrne posted a time of 8:05.95 to take fourth place in the event, while Pierre-Louis Detourbe ran the race in 8:07.02 to take fifth place.

On the women’s side, Niki Ezeh finished seventh place in the long jump and established a new program record with a jump of 5.59 meters.

The Butler women also succeeded in the mile run. Out of the top four finishers in the event, three were Bulldogs. Corinna Pena was the lone Butler champion of the meet, winning the race with a time of 4:53.15. Mia Beckham finished second in the race with a new personal best time of 4:53.54, and Katherine Olsen placed fourth with a time of 4:55.70.

In the women’s 3000 meter race, Morgan Werner, Maddie McLain and Laure Bertrand all posted personal bests. They placed sixth, 10th and 15th, respectively.

Next weekend on Feb. 11-12, the Bulldogs will send part of their team to the Husky Classic in Seattle, Washington and another part to the Grand Valley State Big Meet in Allendale, Michigan. Both the men’s and women’s teams will be hoping to build on this past weekend’s success.