Men's Track and Field Competes at Graduate Classic

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Doane University men's track and field team turned in a strong showing against a deep field of NCAA Division I, II, and NAIA competition at the Graduate Classic, held January 16–17 at the Nebraska Devaney Center. The Tigers recorded multiple top-10 finishes, season bests, and a solid relay performance while continuing to build momentum during the indoor season.

Doane's best finish on the track came in the 400 meters, where senior Caleb Mulder led the Tigers with a 10th-place effort after crossing the line in 50.14 seconds. Senior Joaquin Gutierrez followed closely in 50.31, while freshman Avyan Correa posted a time of 50.96. Additional depth for Doane came from Orion Ulmer (51.20), Jonathan Zoubek (51.27), and Lincoln Konrad (51.96), giving the Tigers a strong presence throughout multiple sections of the event.

In the 60 meters, senior Connor Bradley paced Doane with a time of 7.05 seconds, finishing just outside the top 10 overall. Sophomore Ryland Garretson added another sprint performance for the Tigers, recording a 7.30 in the preliminaries.

The Tigers also showed well in the 60-meter hurdles, with junior Andrew Harms advancing to the finals and placing eighth overall with a time of 8.43 seconds. Harms' consistency through the preliminary rounds highlighted Doane's continued development in the hurdles. Teammates Addison Croghan and Zachary Fox also competed in the event, gaining valuable experience in a large, competitive field.

Doane put together a competitive effort in the 4x400-meter relay, as the quartet of Gutierrez, Mulder, Correa, and Bradley finished sixth overall with a time of 3:22.90, marking one of the Tigers' strongest relay performances of the indoor season.

In the field events, Harms added another highlight by placing fourth in the long jump, recording a best mark of 6.96 meters (22-10). His jump placed him among athletes from NCAA Division I programs and represented one of Doane's top field finishes of the meet.

The Tigers will look to build on their performances as the indoor season continues, with several athletes trending toward peak form as the schedule moves forward.

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