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Lakers Open Season At PNW Track Classic
Posted: Dec 02, 2023

Lakers Open Season At PNW Track Classic

Women Men

CHICAGO – The indoor track & field season began for Roosevelt on Friday night at the inaugural Purdue Northwest Track & Field Classic hosted in Chicago at the Gately Indoor Track & Field Arena.

There was no team scoring for the event, so Destiny Ashcraft's fifth-place finish in the 800 meters was the highlight of the day for the Lakers. The senior opened the track season with a blistering run of 2:40, less than two seconds behind the leading NAIA runner at the meet. Teammate Shelsee Isassi finished 11th in 2:57.

Abby Nelson ran in the 60-meter and 200-meter races, finishing 21st in the 60 and 28th at 200. Beatrice Bruno placed 25th in the 200 then ran the 400 meters in a little more than 1:05 to finish 16th. Lisset Munoz was nearly exactly seven seconds back in 20th position. Angie Delgado raced the mile and finished 19th then went on to finish 20th in the 3,000 meters. Madalyn Smock and Juliana Balagat finished in the top-20 in the shot put with Smock throwing 8.76 meters and Balagat's toss being 7.48 meters.

On the men's side, no one could top Brandon Saavedra's 11th-place finish in the mile while nipping at the heels of the top NAIA runner at the meet. Dominic Gamez finished 17th and Raul Ortiz was right behind in 18th place in the mile as well. Saavedra and Ortiz also tested themselves in the 3,000 meters with Saavedra placing 21st and Ortiz in 27th position.

Kenan Gaston made out of the preliminaries in the 60-meter dash and finished in 22nd place after the semifinals. Kieran Cassidy, Ashton Grey and Willie Rouse also competed in the preliminaries for the Lakers. Gaston and Gray also ran in the 200 meters with Gray finishing 23rd and Gaston in 25th while also being joined in the prelims by Lorell Smith and Aaron Rodriguez. Rodriguez, Rouse and Smith all ran the 400 meters as well with Rouse breaking into the top-20 in 19th place. In the shot put, Jadale Mitchell placed 17th while Cassidy finished in the 23rd spot.

Roosevelt's indoor season continues against more NAIA foes at the Finals Week Invite hosted by St. Ambrose on Friday and Saturday in Davenport, Iowa.