The Master’s University track and field teams hit the ground running at the Outdoor Indoor Distance and Field Event Saturday at Claremont MaKenna College. The team achieved 20 top-five program marks and four school records at the Mustang’s 2024 season opener. The men finished second behind the host, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, and the women finished fourth.

The Mustangs field event athletes achieved 12 personal records and two school records, which is quite remarkable for a season-opening meet. Olivia Prettyman was one of those athletes, jumping a school-record 1.57 meters (5′ 2″) in the high jump to take the victory.

“There was a lot going on in my head with having to compete in the DMR (Distance Medley Relay) during the high jump, but the Lord gave me peace through each jump,” Prettyman said. “By His grace, He allowed me to PR without even realizing it.”

Other athletes like Kayli Lincoln and Ashley Milton in the triple jump, Katie Boggess and Brianna Ironside in the weight throw, and Abby Rowedder in the shot put all achieved top-five marks in TMU history.

The men’s field events were led by NAIA Outdoor qualifier Josh Williamson, who finished second in both the weight throw (14.74m) and shot put (15.02m). Williamson grabbed a school record in the weight throw. Pole vaulter Blake Spomer had a breakout meet as he set a personal best of 4.40m, which was enough to give him the victory and the second-best jump in TMU history.

“I’m so thankful for my teammates who served me today,” Spomer said. “I wouldn’t have been able to perform well without them. This team truly loves each other, and I’m thankful to be a part of it.”

In the running events, the women’s Distance Medley Relay team of Ellen Palmgren, Olivia Prettyman, Suzie Johnson, and Hannah Fredericks achieved an NAIA Indoor A standard of 12:01. In the women’s 3000m, the Mustangs went 1-2 with Fredericks (10:09) and Palmgren (10:17), with both of them grabbing qualifying standards.

The men’s running events were headlined by first-time Mustang Elijah Espericueta, who rewrote the TMU record books with a school record of 7.16 in the 60m dash. Espericueta, a transfer from Bakersfield College, won his heat and finished fifth in the finals. Sophomore Jack Anderson continued to build on his All-American 2023 campaign and took home first place in the 3000m, with a time of 8:40. The men’s 4x400m relay of Nate Day, Zach Garey, Domenic Ghiorso, and Jayk Kelton clocked in a time of 3:30 to take second place.

The Master’s will compete at Moorpark College Friday to continue their Indoor season.