Senior Justin Doughty ran a personal best in the 600m. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Junior Cass Dobrowlski earned a NCAA DII provisional qualifying clearance in the high jump at GVSU while sophomore Ben Haas won the weight throw events at both meets, when the Hillsdale men’s track and field team competed in two large invitational meets, the GVSU Big Meet and the Tiffin Open Feb. 9-10. 

The entire Chargers team ended the weekend with feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment heading into preparation for next week’s annual home Tune-Up meet next Saturday Feb. 17, senior Drew Ransom said. 

Ransom placed second in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.81 at Tiffin. 

“Everybody had something positive to say about or to have pride in regarding their performances last weekend, and that’s all you can hope for,” Ransom said. “Records and bests are great, but great morale is the key for us to find success at the end of the season.”

On the track at GVSU, junior Ross Kuhn ran a personal best of 4:12.52 in the mile. In the 4×400 meter relay, senior Joseph Ritzer, senior Benu Meintjes, senior Sean Fagan and sophomore Colsen Conway placed eleventh with a season best time of 3:20.72. In the 5k, senior Alex Mitchell ran a season best time of 14:42.53, placing 20th in the toughest heat of the event. 

Meintjes ran a 49.55 in the 400 meter dash at GVSU. Meintjes said the Chargers will build off the confidence and success of this weekend heading into the conference championship season. 

“This weekend was good for the team as we got to see where we are at and got to see what we need to improve on before GMACs in two weeks,” Meintjes said. “I think overall the confidence is building as we are getting closer to peaking.” 

Ritzer also ran a personal best in the 400 meter dash with a time of 49.95 at GVSU. 

“Going under 50 seconds in the 400 was huge! That is a big milestone in track and has been my goal since I arrived here,” Ritzer said. “Doing so also puts me in a much better spot going into conference than I have ever been in before. I am excited for what lies ahead.”

In the field, Haas won the weight throw at both meets with a mark of 21.41 meters at GVSU and 21.71 meters at Tiffin. Dobrowlski placed sixth in the high jump at GVSU earning a provisional qualifying mark. 

At Tiffin on the track, senior Justin Doughty placed second in the 600 meter dash running a personal best of 1:31.31. Fagan also placed second in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.51, with Conway close behind placing third with a time of 8.55. Sophomore Emil Schleuter placed fifth in the mile running a personal best of 4:34.86. 

In the field, sophomore Connor McCormick placed fifth in the pole vault with a mark of 4.61 meters. 

“I’ve been trying to be more consistent this season. It is something I’ve struggled with, but it is getting better,” McCormick said. “The meet this last weekend was an opportunity to focus on our technique. As a group, we feel like we are in a great place to perform at the conference meet.”

The Chargers will next race at home in the annual Tune-Up meet on Feb. 17. 

“I think the team is excited for this last two weeks before conference as this is the time where we get to fine-tune everything and are getting ready to perform at our best,” Meintjes said.