Mankato, Minn. --- For the fourth-straight year, the Minnesota State men's track and field program hoisted the championship plaque at the NSIC Indoor Conference Championships.

Powered behind four first-place crowns on day two, the Mavericks scored 163 points proving to be too much for the competition with second-place University of Sioux Falls finishing with 120 points.

The triple jump event was were the Mavericks began to run away from the pack. Khalil Jor'dan (Eagan, Minn.) led four teammates who secured the top-four spots at 48'5.5". Frank Veldman (Eagan, Minn.) and Alex Campbell (Ellsworth, Wis.) put in new career days with 47'1" and 46'9", respectively. Sophomore Ben Ojika (New Brighton, Minn.) joined the crowd in fourth at 46'5".

The sprint events saw much more of the same. Top points-getter Emmanuel Matadi (St. Paul, Minn.) beat the field of eight with a final time of 6.70. Junior Kyran Stewart (Camilla, Ga.) came in third at 6.80. Richard Wilhite, Jr. (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Geno Bullard (Nassau, Bahamas) also placed for the Mavericks. Matadi, Stewart and Wilhite swept the top-three podium spots in the 200-meters with times of 21.42, 21.75 and 21.99 to their respective individuals. Senior Anthony Gustafson (Faribault, Minn.) closed out his indoor career in sixth-place with a time of 22.20.

Without record-holder Myles Hunter (Conyers, Ga.), the Mavericks placed three in the 60-meter hurdles as well. Ojika scored the top Maverick spot in fourth with a final time of 8.44. Senior Nathan Hancock (Independence, Mo.) hurdled to a new personal-best of 8.51 in sixth with newcomer Zechariah Copeland (Brookfield, Wis) right behind in seventh. Freshman Javontee Brice (Bradenton, Fla.) received his first NSIC placing in the 400-meters finishing seventh with a time of 51.19. Victor Bowen (Milwaukee, Wis.) put in a career performance in the 600-meters finishing third at 1:22.05.

An exciting finish in the mile event saw senior Austin O'Brien (Bettendorf, Iowa) finish third with a time of 4:20.65, less than a stride behind first-place. Freshman Austin Pasch (Tomah, Wis) and junior Brendan Gessner (Lino Lakes, Minn) teamed up to earn six points in the 1000-meters with Pasch leading the way with a time of 2:34.59.

Capping of the impressive finish, the 4x400 relay team, consisting of Zach Gearman (Burnsville, Minn.), Matadi, Bowen and Hancock, broke away from the pack and walked away with the event and team championships in hand with a time of 3:19.12.

Full results of the NSIC Championships may be viewed HERE.
 

This marks the end of the season for those who did not qualify for nationals. For those who did, up next is the NCAA Division II National Championships being held March 14-15, in Birmingham, Ala.

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