Dynamic duo, junior Josh Janusiak and sophomore Joe Kortenhof blew away the competition in the 5,000 meters on Friday, Feb. 23 at the Midwest Conference Championships. Janusiak not only shattered the Midwest Conference Record, but broke his own Lawrence record and set a track record at Ripon College’s Willmore Center. Janusiak won the 5,000 in 14:48.98 and Kortenhof was second in 14:50.60. That broke the conference record of 14:53.27, set in 2013. The third-place finisher from Cornell was 33 seconds behind Kortenhof. Janusiak now holds the 20th-fastest time in the 5,000 in all of NCAA Division III, and Kortenhof has the 22nd-fastest time. Janusiak’s weekend earned him Track Performer of the Meet honors on Saturday.
Sophomore Will Nichols took fourth place in the triple jump with a distance of 42 feet, 7.5 inches. Sophomore Gabe Baker set a Lawrence record as he took fifth place in the weight throw. Baker’s toss of 50-1.25 broke the 2011 record of 48-11.5.
The 4×400 relay of Nichols, freshman Cullen Allard, junior Dan Sandacz and sophomore Mik Patel placed sixth. The distance medly relay of Allard, Patel, Sandacz and junior Ben Schaefer was also sixth.
For the women, Lawrence placed two runners in the top eight in the 3,000. Freshman Alex Chand placed fifth and senior Hannah Kinzer placed eighth.
Lawrence also placed in the top seven in both relays. The distance medley relay of seniors Kate Kilgus, Janey Degnan, Erin Schrobilgen and sophomore Christina Sedall placed fifth. The 4×400 relay of Degnan, freshman Emily Hoeft, sophomores Hallie Sogin and Mikaela Hintz placed seventh.
The men placed fifth and the women placed ninth. Congrats on a great meet, Vikings!
