The men’s track and field team will compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 9. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics. 

DAVID JACOBS | STAFF REPORTER | drjacobs@butler.edu 

The Butler men’s indoor track and field squad finished second at the Big East Championships that took place from Feb. 23 to Feb. 24 at DePaul University. 

Throughout the top-10 finishes, nearly every event was filled with Bulldogs. However, three athletes stood out from the rest as they each scored over 15 across their respective events.

Graduate student Luke Finnegan led the Dawgs with 22 points scored as he placed second in the 60-meter and 200-meter finals with times of 6.82 and 21.22, respectively. 

Graduate student Jesse Hamlin continued his incredible career by avenging last year’s second place finish by becoming the fastest mile runner in the Big East as he placed first in the mile with a time of 4:01.79. Hamlin also finished third in the 3000-meter race with a time of 7:59.32. 

Senior Jack Elder contributed 15 points of his own as he placed third in pole vault with a 14′ 3.25″ vault, eighth in long jump with a 21′ 4.75” leap and second in the heptathlon. 

To pair with these amazing individuals, the Dawgs had three relays placed on the podium which secured an additional 20 points. 

In the 4×400, senior Zac Stanley, sophomore Gavin Cougle, junior Michael Beros and Finnegan chipped in six points with a time of 3:13.20 and a third-place finish. 

The 4×800 squad of graduate Martin Kovacech, graduate Joe Barrett, graduate Will Cuthbertson and senior Liam Dennis scored eight points in a second-place finish clocking in at 7:30.85. 

In the distance medley, Kovachech, Dennis, Beros and sophomore David Slapak scored six points in a third-place finish with a time of 9:47.47. 

Finishing only behind Connecticut in the conference championships, the indoor season will conclude for the Dawgs on March 9 as they prepare for the NCAA Championships in Boston, Massachusetts.