HOW IT HAPPENED AT SVSU
The Flyers opened their indoor season with a strong showing at the SVSU Holiday Open, highlighted by multiple event titles and NCAA-qualifying marks. On the men's side, Levi Graham (Plainfield, Ill./Minooka) led the way by winning the weight throw with an NCAA-qualifying performance. He was joined by Abraham Christian (Huntley, Ill./Huntley HS), who secured the high jump title with another NCAA qualifier. Ben Saucedo () added a strong finish in the weight throw and came just shy of an NCAA mark, missing the standard by only 20 centimeters.
The women delivered an equally impressive day. Denise Hernandez (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North HS) won the long jump with an NCAA-qualifying performance, while Brynlee Keeran (Catlin, Ill./Catlin HS) added another national mark for the Flyers by placing in the pole vault. Karmen Kurowicka (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park HS) captured the high jump title and also placed fourth in the 60-meter hurdles. On the track, Rebecca Cravedi (Piacenza, Italy) earned runner-up finishes in both the 60 meters and 200 meters.
It was a powerful season opener for the Flyers, marked by podium finishes, event titles, and early NCAA-qualifying performances across the board.
HOW IT HAPPENED AT GVSU
The distance crew added several highlights for the Flyers with a strong set of 5K and mile performances at the GVSU Holiday Open. Mary Edwards (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) delivered one of the top showings of the night, clocking 16:51.44 for a top-10 mark in program history (#4). The women's 5K group stacked strong results behind her, with Madilyn Calloway (Rochester, Ind./Rochester Community) running an indoor personal best of 17:16.97, followed by Josephine Bober (Lockport, IL/Lockport Twp HS) at 17:18.25 and Kate Guderjan (Frankfort, Ill./Lincolnway East) at 17:22.89.
Hudson Szymonik and Morgan Gioia (Park Ridge, Ill.) both turned in solid early-season efforts with lifetime bests of 18:07.25 and 18:18.59.
The men's side matched that momentum with several breakthrough races. Jack Roberts (Frankfort, Ill./Lincolnway East) ran a lifetime best of 14:44.39, while Owen Thomas (Valparaiso, IN/Morgan Township) followed with a personal best of 14:51.54. Zack Dunn (Merrillville, IN) clocked a 14:57.99, and Brendon Shea crossed the line in 15:02.30. Gabriel Cates (Purcellville, Vir./Loudoun Valley) ran 15:11.45 to cap off a strong 5K for the Flyers.
In the mile, Dillon Pottschmidt posted a personal best of 4:22.88, adding another standout performance to the distance group's impressive evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Evan Horgan (Loves Park, Ill./Belvidere North) made history on the Boston University track, shattering the Lewis University all-time indoor 5K record with a stunning 13:44.23. His performance took down the previous school record of 13:45.50, which had stood for 29 years and was set by Charles Mulinga, an Olympian in the same year he established the mark.
Horgan's run not only set a new program standard but also highlighted an elite early-season effort on one of the fastest distance tracks in the country.
UP NEXT
The Flyers return to action Saturday, January 10, in Romeoville against PNW.
