MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Michigan Tech Huskies track and field teams saw nine personal-bests and three heat winners at the Gary Wilson Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota on Wednesday.

“Changes in the meet schedule for the late season meets we’ve been attending recently forced us to try something new this year at the meet,” said coach Robert Young. “We were quite happy with the level of competition we found here overall, but I think the extra challenge of competing in finals week held us back today. We had a significant portion of our team run marks right near their bests, but time and again we looked just a little tired in doing it. Like a little, something was missing.

“This team is so academically oriented it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we were missing something on a week when they have to perform well over and over academically. I do think this bodes well for what we can do at the GLIAC championships next week when that academic stress is lifted.”

Brayden Sobecki started the day for the Black and Gold with a win in the open 5,000m with a solo effort of 16:37.03, besting the second-place finisher by over 15 seconds.

Veteran Callen Carrier continues to lower his personal-best in the 3,000m steeplechase with his 9:23.59 to claim fourth in the event. Amos Norland came away with a new personal record in his 3,000m steeplechase, running 10:25.59. 

Sophomore Brandon Latta commanded the second heat of the men’s 800m with a kick to win the race, ironically running the same time as the previous meet with his 1:54.84 effort. Broderick Stewart broke sub-two for the first time in his third 800m as a Husky with his time of 1:59.75 in the third heat.

Hancock native and freshman Brielle Kero ran a near even-split race to lower her personal-best to 2:17.89.

A trio of Huskies in the men’s 1,500m established new personal-bests as sophomore Connor Stefanovsky was the top-performer, shaving a second off of his debut from the previous meet for a time of 3:58.17. Tucker Ringhand stepped down to the metric mile for the first time this season following a school record performance in the 5,000m last time out with a 3:58.75 as Donavan Mattson also earned his first sub-four minute 1,500m close behind in 3:58.88.

First-year Liam Walters won the fourth heat of the 1,500m in 4:12.40 ahead of teammate Derin Apul (4:12.82).

Austin Smelker ran his first 5,000m on the track with a promising time of 15:27.18 to lead a pack of four Huskies.

Ingrid Halverson claimed a new personal-best in the nightcap of the meet in the women’s 5,000m with her time of 18:48.25 as Sophia Rhein (17:14.66) and Cedar Gordon (17:56.94) led the way with sub 18-minute performances.

Up Next

The Huskies will begin prepping for the championship season with the GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 1-2 in Allendale, Michigan, hosted by Grand Valley State.