Warriors Set Standards at Bulldog Early Bird

SEWARD, Neb. – With the fall semester complete, Midland University turned its focus to the final indoor meet of the semester, competing in the Bulldog Early Bird this past weekend. The Warriors' preparation paid off with several standout performances on the track and in the field.

Robert Atwater delivered a spectacular start to his indoor season, winning the men's heptathlon with a score of 5,254 points. He excelled in the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, long jump, and pole vault, securing top marks in each event. Atwater also hit the NAIA A Standard in the high jump (2.12m) and the long jump (7.43m). His long jump set new meet and facility records, while his overall heptathlon score established a new school record.

Evan Shepard shined in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing fourth overall. He posted an 8.34 in qualifying and followed with an 8.48 in the finals.

In the 200 meters, Kenya Ford claimed the top spot with a time of 22.47, a performance that ranks second all-time in Midland history.

Chris Medlock secured third place in the 400 meters with a time of 51.71, while Andrew Nunez finished fifth in the 600 meters at 1:28.23.

Jonathan Mahoney delivered two strong performances, placing fourth in the 800 meters (2:00.16) and third in the mile run (4:34.93).

The Warriors swept the top three spots in the 1,000 meters. Henri Stoeckermann took first with a time of 2:37.99, followed by Lucas Hjortkjaer (2:39.26) and Koen Steenblok (2:39.67).

Midland's 4x400-meter relay team of Noah Sherman, Kenya Ford, Chris Medlock, and Shandon Reitzell placed second with a time of 3:23.88, the fourth-fastest time in program history. The 4x800-meter relay team of Lucas Hjortkjaer, Henri Stoeckermann, Braden Taylor, and Koen Steenblok won their event with a time of 7:55.41, the second-best in school history.

In the high jump, Atwater claimed another victory with a height of 2.09 meters. Jonah Martinez tied for seventh with a jump of 1.83 meters.

The long jump featured another strong showing from Atwater, who placed first with a leap of 7.07 meters. Khalil Thorps-West was fourth at 6.77 meters, and Ford finished 10th with a jump of 6.29 meters. Thorps-West also earned a runner-up finish in the triple jump with a mark of 13.86 meters, while Garrett Guindon placed eighth with a jump of 13.04 meters.

After the holiday break, Midland will return to competition on Saturday, January 11 at the Dordt Indoor Open. Events get underway at 10:30 a.m. inside the Dordt Recreation Center in Sioux Center, Iowa.