Saturday, February 17, 2007

Junior Steve Bartholomew (Valparaiso, Ind./Morgan Township) set a new school record in the weight throw Saturday as Valparaiso took to the track at the Boilermaker Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind.

Bartholomew, the reigning Mid-Con Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, set his first Crusader indoor record after breaking two records during the 2006 outdoor campaign. The junior registered a toss of 58'3 ¾" in the weight throw, good for a fourth-place finish and breaking the previous school record in the event by over a foot. The mark also improved on his personal best in the event by nearly three feet.

Tom Heun (Brecksville, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) was the only Crusader athlete to register a podium finish in the field events, taking home runner-up honors in the long jump with a leap of 19'2 ½". Eric Smith (Portage, Ind./Portage) recorded a fourth-place finish in the shot put, setting a new personal best with an effort of 45'6 ½".

On the track, Valparaiso tallied three runner-up finishes. Chris Honig (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South [Indiana]) finished the one mile run in 4:22.72, good for a runner-up finish and the best time by a Crusader athlete in the event this year. Jim Turchyn (Batesville, Ind./Batesville, Ind.) came home second in the 3,000m run, crossing the line in 8:47.75.

Rich Krupar III (Elyria, Ohio/Midview) led seven Valpo runners in the 800m run with the fastest time by a Crusader this season, registering a time of 1:59.89 for a second-place finish. Bryan Gill (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City) finished right behind Krupar with a time of 2:02.31 for a third-place showing.

Valparaiso returns to the track on Sunday, February 25 for the two-day Mid-Continent Conference Indoor Championships. The championship meet is being held in Bloomington, Ill., and the Crusaders will look to improve on a sixth place finish at last year's meet.