The Aurora University men's track and field team made its full-squad debut on Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Karl Schlender Invitational, picking up four wins and setting several NACC-leading marks.
 
The highlight of the day was the men's 3000 meters, where Spartans were the first ten finishers.  Senior Drew Schmitt (9:10.02) led nearly every step of the way, but was narrowly edged at the line by freshman Matt Meyers, who ran 9:09.62. Those two times are currently 1-2 in the NACC. Their eight teammates who filled out the rest of the meet's top ten were, in order, Jimmy Baeskens, Pete Jaros, Malik Dorris, Jaime Charles, Nick Cole, Calvin Robinson, Ben Ervin, and DJ Wolfram.
 
Also in the distances: junior Roberto "Gonzo" Gonzalez ran 2:02.66 for second in the 800 meters; that time ranks #1 in the NACC.  His even 400-meter splits of 61, 61 portend a faster time to come.
 
An unlikely quartet of freshmen and sophomores grabbed a relay win: Dan Ance, Reiner Ebarle, Greg Coulouris, and Devon Bice ran 1:39.33 to take first in the 4x200.  And another freshman, Terry Moore, won the 400 in 53.18.
 
Under the tutelage of school record holder Coach Jeff Fellers, first-year Spartan Austin Stewart vaulted 3.65 meters (11 feet, 11.75 inches) to garner his first collegiate victory.  His classmate Robert Sprung cleared the same height (along with two other vaulters) but Stewart got the win in a jump-off.
 
The Spartans' next meet is at Olivet Nazarene University's brand new track. Most of the squad will compete on Saturday, January 25; the 4x800 meter relay will race the night before.