Loyola Sets Nine New Personal Records in Eventful Weekend

Loyola track and field divided and conquered Feb. 14 and 15, logging a total of nine personal bests between the East Coast and Midwest.

Half the team competed in Boston at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational — facing off against both university and professional running teams. The other half stayed local in Naperville, Ill. for the Chicagoland Intercollegiate Indoor Track and Field Invitational. 

David Hemery Valentine Invitational:

Loyola started their weekend in Boston on the men’s side of events, kicking off with the mile. The Ramblers entered three competitors and were led by first-year Izak Bibile, who finished 236th overall in a pool of 354 with a time of 4:13.97. Behind him was fourth-year Gabe Smit in 272nd at 4:17.44. Graduate Samuel Field didn’t finish his race.

Second-year Nate Boutin was the Ramblers’ sole competitor in the men’s 3000m, where he captured a personal best — 91st out of 243 at 8:04.12. 

In the 5000m, graduate James Lawrence led the Ramblers with a personal best of 13:34.71, earning him 20th of 212 and the second fastest 5K in Loyola program history. His time is behind that of Ryan Martins, who set the record in December 2022 with a time of 13:33.45. 

Third-year Jake Phillips followed Lawrence with another personal record, earning a time of 14:00.98 to place 86th. Closing out the men’s side of competitions in 109th was second-year Cael Mulholland with a personal best of 14:08.07.

Saturday was the women’s side of the competition, and they started the mile represented by redshirt fourth-year Alessandra Rodriguez in 67th out of 276, who finished at 4:47.56. Rodriguez’s mile automatically entered her into the 1500m, where she captured 61st of 235 with a time of 4:27.62.

The women’s 3000m resulted in graduate Emma Watcke finishing 41st out of 253 and setting her second program record of the season with a time of 9:14.85 — beating her previous record of 9:26.23 set at the Colyear-Danville Season Opener Dec. 7. At the same invitational, fourth year Grace Kuhn set the program record at 9:20.71. 

Fourth-year Roisin Treacy was the next highest runner in 84th, timing in at 9:28.60. Fourth-year Grace Jostock was behind her in 159th at 9:47.35, earning a personal best. Two spots after Jostock was second-year Eileen Seebon, earning a personal best of 9:47.44 for 161st. Closing out the event for Loyola in 185th was fourth-year Aiden Grasse, who secured a personal record at 9:55.21.

The last event Saturday was the women’s 5000m, where they were solely represented by fourth-year Ali Gillooly — who finished 128th out of 167 with a time of 17:11.50.

Chicagoland Intercollegiate Indoor Track and Field Invitational:

Back in Naperville, Loyola sent competitors to both the men’s and women’s mile. In the men’s heat, back-to-back finishes in ninth and 10th were recorded by fourth-year Fionn Harrington and second-year Aidan Collins. Harrington timed in at 4:27.93 with Collins only hundredths of a second behind him at 4:27.97. 

Rounding out the Rambler group was third-year Gabe Ryan in 15th with his best time of the season at 4:32.46.

Kuhn led the women’s mile for the Ramblers with a time of 4:59.46, earning her second place. Fourth-year Alex Morris was next for Loyola, earning fifth place and a season best 5:05.09. Right behind her in sixth was second-year Priscilla Ravera with another season best of 5:14.04.

Closing out the top 10 was second-year Jo Collins, who beat her own best time of the season at 5:20.20. Last for Loyola was first-year Charlotte Wilson with a personal best of 5:34.77, earning her 19th.

Next for Loyola was the women’s 5000m, where first-year Madison Perez was the sole Rambler to finish. She set a new personal best time with a seventh-place finish and a time of 18:47.30.

The last contest on the slate for Loyola was the men’s 4000m distance medley relay. The 4000m consists of four different legs and four different runners, where the first leg is 1200 meters, followed by 400 meters, 800 meters and 1600 meters to close the race. 

Loyola entered third-years Kyle Knutson and Woody Jerome, fourth-year Jack Slaughter and second-year Trent Anderson. The four captured first in the event with a time of 10:31.32, over 25 seconds faster than second place Aurora University.

The Ramblers will take some time off before they race on the track again in the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships in Virginia Beach, Va. Feb. 28.