The Waynesburg University men’s indoor track and field team traveled to Youngstown State University for the two-day YSU Mid-Major Invitational, which featured schools from all divisions and classes.

On Friday, Jan. 31, only three Waynesburg athletes competed. Senior Adam Helbling and junior Dequan Debauche participated in the long jump, withHelbling finishing  25 in a 49-man field with a 6.08-meter jump, while Debauche placed 46 overall.

Also on Friday, senior Garrett Hillard competed in the men’s open weight throw, finishing 15 out of 34 throwers with a toss of 12.74 meters.

Saturday, Feb. 1, marked the second day of competition and saw most of the team in action.

In the field events, sophomore Jacob Harker competed in the men’s elite shot-put flight. After setting a school record at Muskingum University the previous week, Harker earned a spot among the top 12 throwers in the competition. He finished 10, notably ahead of two other Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) athletes.

“Going from a smaller to a bigger meet humbles you, and it reminds you of the mindset to never stay complacent and to keep striving for better throws and consistency,” throwing coach Kevin Thacker said. “Now that he has not only broken the record but also competed in an elite flight, it’s about raising the bar while maintaining consistency, staying humble and being confident.”

After a long day on the track, the team set records and climbed the program’s all-time leaderboard in a crucial relay event.

Graduate student Quintin Weaver took the track for the mile race with the goal of breaking the school record. He accomplished just that, running 4:24 and finishing 12 out of 73 runners.

“Obviously, it feels pretty good. I was kind of nervous about it at first but definitely glad I got it accomplished,” Weaver said. “But the biggest goal now is doing well at PACs.”

Weaver’s success didn’t stop with the mile race. He and three teammates put together a strong performance in the final event of the night.

Weaver, sophomore Kyle Casella, junior Dagyn Williams and senior Aaron Sanders ran a 3:34 in the 4×400-meter relay, just five seconds shy of the school record. All four runners were not at 100% going into the event however, asSanders had competed in the 800-meter run earlier in the day but was able to refocus for his team.

“I was feeling a little rough after the 800. I didn’t have the best race and took a bit of a mental hit,” Sanders said. “I knew I had the 4×4 coming up, and I just wanted to hold up my leg of the race.”

Casella, the anchor and youngest member of the relay team, was proud of their performance, especially considering they were not fresh for the race.

“It’s great to be a part of this. We’re trying to rewrite history, and it’s incredible to have a group of guys willing to put it all on the line for each other,” Casella said. “We’re all so competitive and want to be as great as we can be. We push each other, and with that, the times will come.”

After a strong weekend, head coach Chris Hardie credited the team’s success to strong leadership and each athlete’s personal drive.

“Honestly, it’s the leadership of this group. The captains push hard work and accountability,” Hardie said. “When that’s in place, you see early success. I give a lot of credit to the coaches and captains for setting the stage for that. This is a hardworking group that shows up every day without excuses, and the positivity is there.”

The Yellow Jackets will continue their season on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Denison Bob Shannon Invitational.