On Feb. 27, the men’s indoor track and field team traveled to Youngstown, Ohio, for the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Indoor Championship meet. The men finished in a tie for seventh with Saint Vincent College. 

Heading into the meet, the team had high expectations on the track, in the sand, and in the circle. However, the standout performance came in the circle from Jacob Harker. 

Harker entered the meet ranked second in the men’s shot put, trailing reigning champion senior Ryan Lenhart of Grove City College. Harker embraced the challenge and opened with a 15.02-meter throw, taking the lead and breaking his own school record. 

His record-breaking day didn’t end there. On his final attempt, Harker threw 15.17 meters, securing his victory and setting another new school record. While proud of his success, Harker credited his coaches and teammates for their support. 

“I am very happy right now! I thank Kevin Thacker the most; he’s really helping me improve with everything, like as a person too,” Harker said. “I thank my teammates in the sport, especially Meg Barry—she’s been great. Just everyone—Adam, Zach, Garrett—everyone has been great. I am just very happy to have that support around me.” 

Harker also delivered a record-setting throw in the men’s weight toss earlier in the day with a heave of 14.40 meters. Throws coach Kevin Thacker expressed his pride in Harker and the entire men’s throwing squad. 

“As a coach, I take pride in seeing the results from the athletes and all the hard work we put in paying off,” Thacker said. “The biggest thing for me as a coach is seeing the reactions—everyone setting personal records and celebrating those moments. That’s what makes me proud.” 

Other notable field event finishes: 

• Garrett Hillard – fifth place in weight toss 

• Garrett Hillard – ninth place in shot put 

• Adam Helbling – 10th place in long jump 

On the track, the focus was on the relay teams. Both the Distance Medley Relay and the 4×400-meter relay teams earned spots on the podium to close out the meet. 

The DMR team of Ethan Wilson, Aaron Sanders, Nicholas Todd, and Aidan McGee placed seventh overall with a time of 11:48. 

As for the 4×400-meter relay, the team of Dagyn Williams, Noah Jones, Kyle Casella, and Quintin Weaver finished third with a time of 3:30, the second-fastest in school history. 

Other notable track event finishes: 

• Dagyn Williams – 10th place in the 400-meter dash 

• Quintin Weaver – second place in the 800 meters 

With the indoor season now behind them, the team shifts its focus to the outdoor season. Thacker emphasized the key to continued success. 

“Single-leg squats,” Thacker joked. “But on a real note, it’s about not staying complacent. We can celebrate, of course, but we also need to watch film, keep working, and continue adapting. What we’re doing is working, but we need to do even more to keep improving and hopefully qualify for nationals.” 

Harker has his sights set on another record as he prepares for the outdoor season, currently just centimeters away from the outdoor shot-put school record. 

“Just keep doing the same things—keep lifting, keep eating well, and keep that same motivation going into outdoor,” Harker said. “First, I want to break that outdoor record. We’re already close, especially with these indoor distances. After that, I just want to keep improving centimeter by centimeter—and, of course, win PACs again.” 

The men will kick off the outdoor season on March 22 at West Virginia University.