Iowa City, Iowa – Milwaukee track & field competed in Iowa's Larry Wieczorek Invitational inside Hawkeye Indoor Track Facility Saturday.
 
"Our ladies in the 4x400m relay were a blink-of-an-eye away from our program record," said head coach Andrew Basler. "The quartet of Evtimov, Thimmesch, Burns, and Handshoe finished four-hundredths of a second from the record."
 
Day two was highlighted by the success in the 4x400-meter relay, where the team of Victoria Evtimov, Taylor Thimmesch, Katie Burns, and Leah Handshoe ran the second fastest time in school history (3:48.92). The team finished fifth in a loaded field (only 0.65 seconds away from third) and currently ranks 98th in all of Division I.
 
"Our middle-distance crew had a great day in the 800 meters and Mile," said Basler. "Coach Schultz had them prepared and they delivered. Rachel, Janiyah, Lauren, and Rohan all had lifetime bests in the mile."
 
The college 400-meter dash was led by Handshoe and Thimmesch, who took the top two spots in the event. Handshoe completed the race in 56.98, while Thimmesch followed with a personal-best 57.42 outing.
 
In the premier 400-meter dash, Burns turned in a season-best of 56.44, finishing fourth.
 
In the college 1-mile race, Rachel Helm finished second out of 26 total runners, clocking a time of 5:06.76. Janiyah Taylor recorded a personal-best time in the event, crossing the line seventh (5:12.33).
 
"Our vaulters had an equally impressive day," Basler said. "Coach Schmidt does a great job with that group, and they really stepped up today. In the women's vault, Emma, Hailey, Isabel, and Tia all had season bests and were attempting lifetime best bars.
 
Hailey Soriaga secured a fifth-place finish in the pole vault with her season-high 3.75-meter outing. Emma Johnson was right behind her in sixth place, jumping the same height (3.75 meters). The Milwaukee pole vault team also included Isabel Roloff and Tia Brennan who both finished 13th (3.45 meters).
 
Anna Szepieniec completed the 60-meter hurdles in 8.55, finishing in 11th place.
 
"On the men's side, Harper, Alex, and Aidan followed suit with lifetime bests in their mile race," added Basler. "Senior Wade Duffek had the breakthrough race he's been training for in the 800 meters."
 
The Panthers earned a pair of podium finishes in the men's college 1-mile run, highlighted by Harper Fahey's second-place finish in a personal-best 4:19.09. Alex Anewenter capped the effort with a third place showing, clocking a season-best 4:21.53.
 
Lucas Picco delivered another standout performance for the Black & Gold, crossing the line third in the primer 800-meter dash. The junior turned in a season-best time of 1:51.94, which currently ranks third in the Horizon League.
 
In the college 800-meter dash, Duffek secured a fourth-place finish with his personal-best 1:54.57 effort.
 
Anthony Buford cracked the top 10 in the college 400-meter dash with a season-best performance (50.47), finishing in eighth.
 
The premier triple jump was highlighted by Bishop Bufford and Kyril Griffin, who came away with sixth (13.87 meters) and seventh place (13.68 meters) finishes for the Panthers.
 
"Bradyn Thomas had two 3rd attempt clearances at lifetime best bars," added Basler. "He really battled and earned those clearances."
 
Thomas wrapped up the final event of the meet with a personal-best pole vault clearance of 4.70 meters. He finished eighth out of 22 total athletes.
 
UP NEXT
 
Milwaukee looks ahead to the Meyo Invite hosted by Notre Dame on Friday, Jan. 30-31. The meet in South Bend, Ind., will be held at the Loftus Center.