Steve Bartholomew (Valparaiso, Ind./Morgan Township) set a school and Horizon League Championship record in the hammer throw Thursday and also won the discus throw, while Chris Honig (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South [Indiana]) crossed the line first in the 3,000m steeplechase as the Valparaiso men’s track and field team competed on day one of the Horizon League Outdoor Championships in Youngstown, Ohio.

            Bartholomew, who already owned the school record in the hammer throw, extended his record by over seven feet on Thursday, registering a toss of 201’10” for the event victory.  The mark was 14 feet past the runner-up’s toss, and was more than seven feet longer than the previous Horizon League Championship record in the event.

            Bartholomew also took top honors in the discus throw on Thursday, recording a mark of 167’6”, greater than 13 feet past the runner-up.  Erik Lindamood (Bealeton, Va./Liberty) registered a sixth-place finish in the event as well with a toss of 140’5”.

            Honig took his first-ever league championship in an event with his victorious effort in the 3,000m steeplechase.  He completed the race in 9:29.51, breaking the tape almost 14 seconds ahead of his next-closest pursuer.  With the victory, Honig qualifies for the NCAA Mideast Regional in the event.  He was joined in the top-ten in the race by Joel Mathwig (Fall Creek, Wis./Fall Creek), who ran to a ninth-place showing with a time of 10:27.22.

            The Crusaders posted two other top-ten finishes in event finals on Thursday.  Jarrett Mickens (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) finished ninth in the long jump with a leap of 21’3 ¼”, while Joel Hartenberger (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia) placed tenth in the 10,000m run with a time of 33:36.87.  Tom Heun (Brecksville, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) was the third-fastest qualifier for Friday’s event final in the 110m hurdles, completing the prelim Thursday in 15.02 seconds, the third-fastest time in program history in the event.