May 12, 2006
Senior Scott Overall set a new league record and led Butler to a sweep of the top three places in the men's 5,000 meter run at the Horizon League Track and Field Championship, which concluded at the Michael A. Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium in Indianapolis on Friday, May 12. Butler also swept the top three spots in the women's 5,000 meter run, with sophomore Jenni Pereira claiming the league title.
Overall finished the 5,000 in 14:30.57, breaking the previous league mark of 14:36.20, set by Justin Young of Butler in 2002. Butler junior Alex Hains also topped the previous league record with a runner-up finish in 14:33.31, while junior teammate Andrew Toward crossed the line in third place in 14:50.95. Toward captured Butler's only other individual title with a win in the 10,000 meter run in 31:20.01 on the first day of the two-day championship.
Pereira led the Bulldogs to a one-two-three finish in the 5,000 meter run with a time of 17:09.23. She narrowly missed the league record of 17:08.46, set by Butler's Victoria Mitchell in 2004. Senior Katie Stuckey of Butler came in second in the 5,000 in 17:19.76, while Butler's Genni Gardener was third in 17:32.37.
Pereira's title was one of three captured by Butler's women, who placed third in the championship behind Youngstown State and UW-Milwaukee. Sophomore Kate Buchan pulled away from a solid field and won the 800 meter run in 2:13.58, while senior Ava Hutchinson won the 1500 meter run in 4:35.88. Butler also picked up a third place finish from freshman Lade Akande in the discus with a throw of 128-03.
Butler's men placed fourth in the meet behind league champ UW-Milwaukee, Youngstown State and UIC. Overall preceded his win in the 5,000 with a runner-up finish in the 1500 meter run in 3:58.87, finishing just 0.82 behind winner Sean Conroy of Loyola. Freshman Tyler Kos had fifth place finishes in both the 110 meter hurdles (15.79) and the 400 meter hurdles (59.36), while junior Matt Dunham placed fifth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.