CHICAGO – Fifth-year senior Curt Eckstein broke his own school record to highlight the final day of competition for the Purdue track & field team at the Windy City Invitational at the Track & Field Center at Gately Park in Chicago on Saturday.
Eckstein was one of three Boilermakers to register a top-10 mark in program history on the second day of the 10-team meet. His record came in the 3,000-meter, while junior John Pieper ran the seventh-fastest 3,000m and freshman Shianne Dacosta posted the No. 9-ranked 400m time. Eckstein and fellow fifth-year senior Tamar Greene, in the triple jump, earned runner-up finishes, while freshman Praise Aniamaka, in the triple jump, and the women's 4x400 relay placed third.
In total at the two-day meet, five top-10 marks in the school record books were set, Purdue had six top-three finishes and a 20 personal-best marks were recorded.
Eckstein's record-breaking time was 7:57.69, as he placed second overall in his section of the 3,000m. With the sixth-fastest time in the Big Ten this season, Eckstein broke his previous record time of 7:59.30, set a year ago, and finished 0.08 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher.
Behind Eckstein in the 3,000m was Pieper, who finished eighth in 8:07.25. That is the seventh-fastest time in Boilermaker history as he improved his personal-best mark by almost four seconds.
Dacosta entered the record books in the 400m thanks to a time of 54.78, which ranks No. 9 all-time. The freshman is the first Boilermaker to make the top-10 in the event since 2018, and she placed fifth in the afternoon invitational section.
A pair of Boilermakers notched top-three finishes in the triple jump. Greene and Aniamaka's best jumps both were 15.32m, though Greene's second-best mark of 15.30m topped Aniamaka's 15.20m. Greene's best jump came on his third attempt and Aniamaka's was on his sixth.
The day's final event was the 4x400 relay, and Purdue's women finished in third with a season-best time of 3:39.31.
Four Boilermakers were fourth in their events on Saturday, fifth-year senior Kelly Cook Jr. in the shot put with a mark of 15.82m, senior Antonio Mitchell III in the 60m final in 6.79, senior Jessica Bray in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.01m and senior Amir Harris in the 400m with a personal-best 48.65. The men's 4x400 relay also was fourth in a season-best 3:14.29.
Also on Saturday, Dacosta, Eckstein, Harris and Pieper were joined by junior Jayla Ellis (8.72, 60m hurdles), sophomores Payne Turney (4:50.48, mile) and Katelyn Wasson (9:45.28, 3,000m) and freshman Emma Squires (4:51.73, mile) with personal-record times.
On Friday, senior Johnny Vanos improved his sixth-best mark in the weight throw, while fellow senior Blake Selm entered the top-10 in the 5,000m. As they each placed second in their events, they notched two of the 12 personal-best marks set by Boilermakers on the first day of the two-day, 10-team meet.
The Windy City Invitational field featured host-Wisconsin, Arizona, Illinois, Howard, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Tulsa and USF.
Up next, Purdue travels to the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Indiana, on February 19, to conclude the indoor regular season.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Eckstein was one of three Boilermakers to register a top-10 mark in program history on the second day of the 10-team meet. His record came in the 3,000-meter, while junior John Pieper ran the seventh-fastest 3,000m and freshman Shianne Dacosta posted the No. 9-ranked 400m time. Eckstein and fellow fifth-year senior Tamar Greene, in the triple jump, earned runner-up finishes, while freshman Praise Aniamaka, in the triple jump, and the women's 4x400 relay placed third.
In total at the two-day meet, five top-10 marks in the school record books were set, Purdue had six top-three finishes and a 20 personal-best marks were recorded.
Eckstein's record-breaking time was 7:57.69, as he placed second overall in his section of the 3,000m. With the sixth-fastest time in the Big Ten this season, Eckstein broke his previous record time of 7:59.30, set a year ago, and finished 0.08 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher.
Behind Eckstein in the 3,000m was Pieper, who finished eighth in 8:07.25. That is the seventh-fastest time in Boilermaker history as he improved his personal-best mark by almost four seconds.
Dacosta entered the record books in the 400m thanks to a time of 54.78, which ranks No. 9 all-time. The freshman is the first Boilermaker to make the top-10 in the event since 2018, and she placed fifth in the afternoon invitational section.
A pair of Boilermakers notched top-three finishes in the triple jump. Greene and Aniamaka's best jumps both were 15.32m, though Greene's second-best mark of 15.30m topped Aniamaka's 15.20m. Greene's best jump came on his third attempt and Aniamaka's was on his sixth.
The day's final event was the 4x400 relay, and Purdue's women finished in third with a season-best time of 3:39.31.
Four Boilermakers were fourth in their events on Saturday, fifth-year senior Kelly Cook Jr. in the shot put with a mark of 15.82m, senior Antonio Mitchell III in the 60m final in 6.79, senior Jessica Bray in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.01m and senior Amir Harris in the 400m with a personal-best 48.65. The men's 4x400 relay also was fourth in a season-best 3:14.29.
Also on Saturday, Dacosta, Eckstein, Harris and Pieper were joined by junior Jayla Ellis (8.72, 60m hurdles), sophomores Payne Turney (4:50.48, mile) and Katelyn Wasson (9:45.28, 3,000m) and freshman Emma Squires (4:51.73, mile) with personal-record times.
On Friday, senior Johnny Vanos improved his sixth-best mark in the weight throw, while fellow senior Blake Selm entered the top-10 in the 5,000m. As they each placed second in their events, they notched two of the 12 personal-best marks set by Boilermakers on the first day of the two-day, 10-team meet.
The Windy City Invitational field featured host-Wisconsin, Arizona, Illinois, Howard, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Tulsa and USF.
Up next, Purdue travels to the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Indiana, on February 19, to conclude the indoor regular season.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.