The Valparaiso University track & field programs began the 2024-25 indoor season on Friday as the teams engaged in their only weekend of competition prior to the turn of the calendar. A trio of Valpo student-athletes broke program records at the Blue-Gold Invite, hosted by Notre Dame. In addition, several multi- event student-athletes began the two-day John Coughlan Invite hosted by Illinois State on Friday.
How It Happened
- Sophomore Noah Meacham (Tulsa, Okla. / Broken Arrow) established a program record in the indoor 1,000-meter run, posting a time of 2:26.7 that helped him place fourth in the field. He outdid the previous record of 2:35.20 owned by Nate Nunnely that had stood since 2001.
- Beacons of both genders set new program standards in the 300 on Friday. On the men's side, junior Anthony Vassolo (Tinley Park, Ill. / Andrew) stopped the clock in 35.11 seconds, smashing Kevin Adamik's mark of 35.76 that had stood since 2013. Vassolo placed seventh of 28. On the women's side, sophomore Juliana Ferrara (Fox River Grove, Ill. / Cary-Grove) turned in a time of 41.54 to finish in the top half of a 24-runner field and outdo the program record set by her teammate Taylor Pusateri last season.
- Ferrara added to her productive season-opening day with a fourth-place finish in a 28-runner field in the 200, boasting a time of 25.74 that tied for third in program history and marked Valpo's fastest time in that event since 2020 (Sierra Fischer). Ferrara inserted her name all over the program record book on Friday, also posting a 60 time of 7.86 that was second in program lore to only Amanda Body's 2009 time of 7.82.
- Junior Tim Whitelaw (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South) was also part of a good day for the Valpo sprints, cracking the program's all-time top five in two events. He finished the 60 in seven seconds flat, placing eighth of 43. He tied for fourth in program history with Valpo's fastest 60 since 2016 (Jeru Lollis).
- Whitelaw also PR'd in the 200, placing fourth of 44 and fourth in program history. His time of 22.34 was the best by a member of the Brown & Gold since Nehemiah Ray in 2022.
- Freshman Ferdinand Rosa (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico / American Military Academy) burst onto the scene in his collegiate debut, posting an all-time top-5 time in the 400. He breezed through the race in 48.76 seconds, second of 10 at Notre Dame and second in program history behind only Ben Sekuloski's 2018 program record of 48.24.
- In the jumps, junior Micah Mullings (Minesing, Ontario, Canada) was first among collegiate competitors and second of 12 behind only an unattached individual at 7.12m (23-4.3).
- In the throws, junior Amelia Tandy (New Albany, Ind. / New Albany) had a pair of personal bests, tossing 15.39m (50-5.9, fourth of 12) in the weight and 12.01m (39-4.8, seventh of 16) in the shot.
- At Illinois State, several Valpo individuals competed in multi- events. In the heptathlon, sophomore AJ Walsh (Lombard, Ill. / IC Catholic Prep) led the team in the 60, long jump, shot put and high jump and boasted PRs in the first three of those events. Junior Brian Sponaugle (Milton, De. / Cape Henlopen) PR'd in each of those three events within the heptathlon as well. Action in Bloomington-Normal will conclude on Saturday.
Click here for Blue & Gold Results;
Click Here for John Coughlan Results
Up Next
Action will continue at the John Coughlan Invite in Normal, Ill. on Saturday. After this opening weekend of action, Valpo will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Notre Dame Invite.
