Loyola Track and Field Opens 2023-24 Season With a Pair of Meets

Loyola’s track and field teams opened their 2023-24 season this weekend with the Ramblers splitting duties between the Purdue Northwest Classic in Chicago Dec. 1 and the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener hosted by Boston University Dec. 2 in Boston.

At the Purdue Northwest Classic, the Ramblers placed first in both the men’s and women’s distance medley relays.

In that event, the men’s team, composed of third-year Jack Slaughter, fourth-year Miguel Abaitua, first-year James Howell and graduate student Stephen Lavey finished with a time of 10:23, over 45 seconds faster than second place Judson University.

The women’s team, made up of third-years Mia Dubac and Roisin Treacy, graduate student Kate Wojcikiewicz and first-year Jo Collins finished 37 seconds ahead of second place St. Xavier University with a time of 12:18.

Loyola also swept the women’s mile event, claiming the top four spots as well as sixth and 10th. Treacy won the event with a time of 5:06, which was also a personal best for her.

Fourth-year Grace Maurer and first-year Priscilla Ravera placed second and third with times of 5:12 and 5:18, respectively. Third-year Aiden Grasse rounded out the top four with a time of 5:24.

Fourth-years Eva Bednard and Autumn Dushack claimed the sixth and 10th place spots at 5:38 and 5:52, respectively.

In the men’s mile, Trent Anderson placed second with a time of 4:30 — a personal best for the first-year.

A pair of fourth-year Ramblers claimed the second and third place spots in the women’s 800 meters, with Fran Hendrickson taking second and Madi McLain taking third. Hendrickson posted a time of 2:21 while McLain finished in 2:34.

Loyola also finished third in the women’s 4×400 relay in 4:10 with a team composed of McLain, Wojcikiewicz, Collins and Hendrickson.

In Boston, the Ramblers competed in the men’s 3000 meter race, the seeded and unseeded 5000 meter and the women’s 5000 meter race.

In the men’s 3000 meter, Jason Clayton placed 17th with a time of 7:57 and Gabe Smit placed 51st posting 8:10, netting both third-years new personal bests.

Jake Phillips was the highest placing Rambler in the unseeded men’s 5000 meter race, finishing in 14:23, earning the second-year 13th place and a new personal record. First-year Nate Boutin also achieved a new personal record, placing 44th in the race with a time of 14:55.

In the men’s 5000 meter seeded, graduate student Chris Devaney placed 99th with a time of 14:00. Graduate student François Guilhot finished 108th at 14:04, setting a personal record.

First-year Cael Mulholland and second-year Woody Jerome finished 175th and 177th, respectively, with times of 14:29.09 and 14:29.77, and third-year Fionn Harrington finished 190th with a time of 14:39. Mulholland, Jerome and Harrington all also set personal records with their times.

On the women’s side, graduate student Delia McDade-Clay placed 78th in the 5000 meter race in 16:24. First-year Julia Isham posted a time of 16:43 placing her 106th. Both Ramblers set new personal records with their times.

The Ramblers will compete next back in Chicago at the Blue Demon Holiday Invite hosted by DePaul University Dec 8.

Featured image courtesy of Loyola Athletics