Freshman Bill Rixon (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) led the Valparaiso men’s track and field squad with a seventh-place finish in the hammer throw as it started competing at the Horizon League Outdoor Championships in Lisle, Ill. on Friday.

Rixon set a new personal best in the event by nearly eight feet, registering a toss of 144’3” to pace three Crusaders competing in the hammer.  Elsewhere, Joel Hartenberger (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia) led Valpo in the 10,000m run, crossing the line in 33:12.07 for a 19th-place showing, while Chris Walsh (Pittsboro, N.C./Cary Academy) tallied 2,246 points through five of the decathlon’s ten events.

Valpo did not register any points on the first day of competition, while Butler currently leads the team standings with 20 points.  The Crusaders return to the track for the second of three days of competition on Saturday at 10 a.m.