ST. PAUL, Minn. - The University of Northwestern Men's Track and Field team competed in the Rider/Bolstorff Invitational at Macalester College on Friday and Saturday. This was the final meet of the season before the UMAC Championships next weekend, and the Eagles posted season and personal bests all across the roster.
Leading the way for the Eagles,
Cody Johnson (Cottage Grove, Minn./New Life Academy) turned in a standout all-around performance. The freshman placed 9th in the long jump with a mark of 5.57m (18' 3.25"), marking the team's highest finish on the men's side. Johnson also competed in the sprints, recording personal-best times in both the 100m and 200m. Joining Johnson in the long jump,
Reid Jelks (South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul) placed 11th with his distance of 5.00m (16' 5").
Samuel Otis (Shoreview, Minn./Homeschool) contributed in both the track and field events, placing 9th in the javelin throw with a personal-best mark of 35.47m (116' 4"). Otis also added a 13th-place finish in the 1500m, running a season-best time of 4:32.91.
In the distance events,
Tyler Dueber (Bloomington, Minn./Homeschool) led the way with a 14th-place finish in the 800m, posting a season-best time of 2:10.82. Close behind,
Caleb Phillips (Poplar, Wis./South Shore) finished 15th in the 800m with a personal-best 2:11.09, while
Owen Van De Riet (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville) added a 16th-place finish in the same event with a season-best time of 2:14.35.
Peter Kephart (Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern) and
Cody Mercado (Arden Hills, Minn./Fourth Baptist Christian School) took their mark in the 1500m race, placing 14th and 18th with times of 4:51.72 and 5:31.60, respectively. This marks a new personal record for Mercado in the event.
Other Notable Performances:
Johnson personal best in the 100m (11.97)
Johnson personal best in the 200m (24.86)
Mercado personal best in the 800m (2:42.53)
Van De Riet season best in the 5000m (17:34.41)
With one more week to prepare, the Eagles will conclude their 2026 campaign at the UMAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, at UW-Superior.
