BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Junior Alex Frey and sophomore Nathan Walker earned their second top-10 times in program history in the last two weeks as the Purdue track & field team opened competition at the Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana, on Friday.
Frey and Walker entered the record book in the 5,000-meter event, 13 days after they debuted on the school top-10 list in the 1,500m. Fifth-year Johnny Vanos added a win in the hammer throw.
On a cool and damp afternoon and evening at IU's Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex, the Boilermakers began their penultimate meet of the regular season with six personal-best marks and eight top-five finishes. The two-day meet will conclude on Saturday afternoon.
Under the lights on Friday night, Frey finished in 14:00.81, the fifth-fastest time in Purdue history. Walker was just behind him in 14:06.69, which is 10th in the record books. Frey was the runner-up in the event as he set a new collegiate-best time by nearly 24 seconds, and Walker was fourth with a PR by more than 15 seconds. Both times are in the top-15 in the Big Ten this season, at No. 9 and No. 14.
Friday's top-10 times come after Frey and Walker ran the ninth- and 10th-fasestst 1,500m times in school history on April 8 at the Fighting Illini Challenge. Frey finished in 3:47.41, just ahead of Walker's 3:47.42.
Purdue's day in Bloomington opened with the hammer throw, where Vanos picked up his second victory in the event this season. His winning throw of 65.08 meters came on his fifth attempt, though a mark of 64.51m on his third throw also would have been good enough for the win. Vanos was one of two competitors to eclipse 60.00m, and he was the only one to top 61.00m more than once, which he did three times.
Senior Kerris Roberts was the runner-up in the 200m, thanks to a time of 24.18, and junior Caleb Williams was second in the 3,000m steeplechase. Williams had a personal-best time of 9:12.97 to earn the top finish among collegiate competitors.
Third-place showings were recorded by juniors LJ Hill in the long jump, with a mark of 7.01m, and Jahn Riley, with a 21.70 in the 200m.
Personal-bests also were achieved by fifth-year John Pieper (1,500m, 3:50.46), sophomore Alison Casey (pole vault, 3.54m) and freshmen Seth Allen (hammer throw, 51.69m), Christel Elkins (1,500m, 4:35.57) and Leo Maxwell (shot put, 15.75m). Sophomore Brady Yoder added a season-best 1,500m mark of 3:54.10.
The Indiana Invitational concludes on Saturday, as the women's discus begins the day at 12:30 p.m. ET. Purdue's first event on the track is the women's 100m hurdle prelims at 1:10 p.m. The meet concludes with the men's javelin at 5 p.m.
Fans can follow along with live results and the meet schedule from Bloomington, while direct links are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField. Additional updates, including schedule updates should weather be an impact, can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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.
Frey and Walker entered the record book in the 5,000-meter event, 13 days after they debuted on the school top-10 list in the 1,500m. Fifth-year Johnny Vanos added a win in the hammer throw.
On a cool and damp afternoon and evening at IU's Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex, the Boilermakers began their penultimate meet of the regular season with six personal-best marks and eight top-five finishes. The two-day meet will conclude on Saturday afternoon.
Under the lights on Friday night, Frey finished in 14:00.81, the fifth-fastest time in Purdue history. Walker was just behind him in 14:06.69, which is 10th in the record books. Frey was the runner-up in the event as he set a new collegiate-best time by nearly 24 seconds, and Walker was fourth with a PR by more than 15 seconds. Both times are in the top-15 in the Big Ten this season, at No. 9 and No. 14.
Friday's top-10 times come after Frey and Walker ran the ninth- and 10th-fasestst 1,500m times in school history on April 8 at the Fighting Illini Challenge. Frey finished in 3:47.41, just ahead of Walker's 3:47.42.
Another week, another pair of top-10 times from Alex Frey and Nathan Walker!! ⚡️⚡️
— Purdue Track & Field / Cross Country (@PurdueTrackXC) April 22, 2023
Alex and Nathan enter the record book in the 5,000m at No. 5⃣ (14:00.81) and No. 🔟 (14:06.69)! This comes 2 weeks after they ran top-10 times in the 1,500m.#BoilerUp 🚂 pic.twitter.com/fxEKzU40WA
Purdue's day in Bloomington opened with the hammer throw, where Vanos picked up his second victory in the event this season. His winning throw of 65.08 meters came on his fifth attempt, though a mark of 64.51m on his third throw also would have been good enough for the win. Vanos was one of two competitors to eclipse 60.00m, and he was the only one to top 61.00m more than once, which he did three times.
Senior Kerris Roberts was the runner-up in the 200m, thanks to a time of 24.18, and junior Caleb Williams was second in the 3,000m steeplechase. Williams had a personal-best time of 9:12.97 to earn the top finish among collegiate competitors.
Third-place showings were recorded by juniors LJ Hill in the long jump, with a mark of 7.01m, and Jahn Riley, with a 21.70 in the 200m.
Personal-bests also were achieved by fifth-year John Pieper (1,500m, 3:50.46), sophomore Alison Casey (pole vault, 3.54m) and freshmen Seth Allen (hammer throw, 51.69m), Christel Elkins (1,500m, 4:35.57) and Leo Maxwell (shot put, 15.75m). Sophomore Brady Yoder added a season-best 1,500m mark of 3:54.10.
The Indiana Invitational concludes on Saturday, as the women's discus begins the day at 12:30 p.m. ET. Purdue's first event on the track is the women's 100m hurdle prelims at 1:10 p.m. The meet concludes with the men's javelin at 5 p.m.
Fans can follow along with live results and the meet schedule from Bloomington, while direct links are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField. Additional updates, including schedule updates should weather be an impact, can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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.