The Aurora University men's track and field team broke two school records and won three events on a snowy Saturday at Olivet Nazarene University.
 
In the 800 meters, high school teammates Matt Meyers and Alex Duncan bolted to the lead after the pack came through the first 200 meters in a pedestrian 30 seconds.  Meyers led every step of the last three laps, fighting off multiple challenges to win in 1 minute, 58.79 seconds.  Duncan ran 1:59.69 for fourth.
 
Head coach Ryan Chapman's six-year tenure as head coach at AU has seen a new school record established in nearly every event. But a few records from 2008 and earlier have persisted; these prehistoric marks are known inside the program as B.C. (Before Chapman). One event with a B.C. standard was the rarely contested 300 meters.  Short sprinters (usually focusing on the 60 and 200 indoors) Wes Heniff and Wade Robinson tipped their toes in the unknown waters of a longer race, and Heniff narrowly edged out Robinson for a new school record.  Wes ran 37.09 seconds for the win, and Robinson was just behind at 37.22 for second.
 
The other school record was broken by a man who already held it-- fifth-year senior Drew Schmitt ran 8:56.24 for second in the 3000 meters. Schmitt hung on to an aggressive pace and then outkicked cross-country All-American Will Cross of Elmhurst.
 
First-year Spartan Taylor Coleman is still a few tenths shy of grabbing his own school record, but he has a few years to shave those tenths. On Saturday, he ran the second fastest time in AU history in the 60 meter hurdles; his 8.76 seconds was good for second in the final.
 
In the field, Austen Stewart and Loren Iwanicki were second and third, respectively, in the high jump. Stewart's mark of 1.96m (6-5) was a personal best.  Stewart also won his collegiate debut in the triple jump-- hopping, skipping, and leaping 12.31m (40-4.75).
 
The Spartan men have next weekend off. They resume competition next Saturday, February 15, at the Chicagoland Indoor Championships hosted by North Central College.