Men's Track & Field in Action at Home for Scott Nisely Memorial

CRETE, Neb. — The Doane University men's track and field team turned in an impressive all-around performance Saturday at the Scott Nisely Memorial Classic inside Fuhrer Field House, piling up event wins, podium finishes, and strong depth across nearly every discipline.

The Tigers were most dominant in the men's 60-meter hurdles, where Doane swept the top four places. Freshman Tommy Smith claimed the event title with a season-best time of 8.37 seconds, while fellow Tigers Pryor Mathews (8.63), Addison Croghan (8.64), and Zachary Fox (8.74) followed closely behind. Doane also placed six athletes into the finals, underscoring its depth in the hurdles.

In the field events, Doane was equally strong. The Tigers swept the podium in the high jump, as Andrew Harms, Presston Duryea, and Jackson Kessler each cleared 1.99 meters (6 feet, 6.25 inches). Harms added a sixth-place finish in the pole vault, clearing 4.15 meters, while Roe Patton and Ashton Pulliam both finished tied for second at 4.30 meters.

The Tigers controlled the horizontal jumps, led by Michael Willey, who won the long jump with a mark of 6.87 meters (22-6.5). Callan McKinney finished second at 6.66 meters, while Willey added a fourth-place showing in the triple jump. Brian Cech recorded a runner-up finish in the triple jump at 13.60 meters, and Maddox Wagoner placed third with a jump of 13.21 meters.

Doane's throwers were a major highlight of the meet, sweeping the top three places in the shot put. Senior Cale Bessler won the event with a mark of 16.30 meters (53-5.75), followed by Andrew Schmitz (15.94m) and Colton Dillon (15.42m). Schmitz added a second-place finish in the weight throw with a toss of 17.65 meters, while Jaden Vollenweider placed third at 17.41 meters. Tad Dimmitt added a fifth-place finish in the weight throw at 16.26 meters.

On the track, Doane produced strong performances in the middle distances. Michael Grigsby finished runner-up in the 800 meters with a time of 1:57.85, while Luke Bonifas placed third at 1:59.16. In the 600 meters, Doane placed four athletes inside the top eight, led by Lucas Gautier (fourth, 1:27.06) and Dakota Miser (sixth, 1:27.76).

Distance runners also made their mark as Porter Bickley captured the 3000 meters title in 8:55.35, with teammate Jayden Wall close behind in second at 9:00.48. Doane added five total top-six finishes in the event.

In relay action, Doane placed four squads in the 4x400 relay, highlighted by the "A" team of Andrew Harms, Tate Washington, Dakota Miser, and Tommy Smith, which finished second overall in 3:35.05. The Tigers' "D" squad also placed third in 3:36.13, further showcasing team depth.

Doane will look to carry the momentum from Saturday's meet into the next phase of the indoor season as the Tigers continue preparing for conference and national qualifying opportunities.

Next up for Doane will be a trip to Seward for the Concordia Polar Dog Invite on Friday, January 23.

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