May 8, 2011

Horizon League Championship Results

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. -- Katie Clark and Kris Gauson each broke a league record and Kirsty Legg successfully defended two individual titles to pace a strong Butler performance at the 2011 Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field Championship, which concluded on Sunday, May 7.  The Bulldogs finished third in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Clark put on a dominant performance in the women’s 5,000 meter run, pulling away from the field and finishing with a record-breaking time of 16:51.14.  She erased the previous league mark of 16:55.34, set by Butler’s Genni Gardner in 2008.  Clark also posted a third place finish in the tightly-contested women’s 1500 meter run in 4:29.94.

Gauson, who was named the Most Outstanding Performer for Running Events after the meet, won the men’s 1500 in 3:48.00, breaking the previous league record of 3:38.16, set by Butler’s Julius Mwangi in 1998.  He also placed runner-up in the men’s 800 meter run in 1:51.61 and then anchored Butler’s fourth place 4 X 400 relay team.

Legg swept both the women’s 800 and the women’s 1500 for the second consecutive year.  She won the 800 in 2:12.33 and then edged two teammates to win the 1500 in 4:29.22.  Marbeth Shiell was runner-up in the 1500 in 4:29.33, closely followed by Clark.

Lauren McKillop, who ran away with the 10,000 meter title on the first day of the championship, placed runner-up in the women’s 5,000 in 17:11.03, while Shiell came in fifth in 17:32.43.  Kaitlyn Love posted a third place finish in the 800 in 2:13.19, while Shelbi Burnett placed sixth in the 1500 (4:40.20).

Butler swept three of the top four spots in the men’s 5,000 meter run, with Matt Proctor claiming the title in 14:39.80.  Callum Hawkins came in third in the event in 14:42.90, while Justin Roeder, winner of the men’s 10,000, finished fourth in 14:51.80.

Craig Jordan, who won the men’s 3,000 meter steeplechase one day earlier, came back on the final day of competition to finish runner-up in the men’s 1500 in 3:50.00.  Alex Berry placed third in the men’s 400 in 48.27, while Tom Brueggemann came in fourth in the men’s 100 (10.74) and sixth in the men’s 200 (22.04).  Butler’s men finished third in the 4 X 100 relay (42.44) and fourth in the 4 X 400 relay (3:19.89).

Milwaukee won the women’s title with 174 points, three points ahead of Youngstown State.  Butler’s women rolled up 82 points.  The Panthers also claimed the men’s title with 156 points, while Youngstown State finished with 135.5.  The Bulldogs posted 100 points.