MHU opens 25-26 campaign at Visit W-S Kick-Off
Jesse Shelton sets NCAA Provisional Qualifying Mark, wins two events.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Mars Hill men's indoor track & field team kicked off their 2025-26 indoor season Saturday at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-Off hosted by JDL Fast Track.
Head Coach Richard Clarke said about his team: "This first meet was a great success overall for the men, with one NCAA Provisional Qualifier, two new school records, and several personal bests."
NCAA Provisional Qualifying Mark
Jesse Shelton kicked off his junior campaign with an event win in men's Shot Put. Shelton's throw of 17.47m provisionally qualifies him for NCAA DII Indoor Nationals. Shelton currently ranks sixth in DII.
School Records
Hunter Philyaw opened his sophomore campaign setting a new school record in the men's 200m Sprint. Philyaw finished with a time of 22.07s. The previous record, 22.43s, held strong for just over ten years.
Jesse Shelton followed his first place finish in Shot Put with a first place finish in the Weight Throw. Shelton claimed the top spot on his last throw of competition. His throw of 17.95m is a new school record.
Additional Highlights from the Meet
On the Track
Levi Hill kicked off his season with a personal best in the 60m Hurdles. Hill finished with a time of 8.76s.
Aiden Burton, Justin Kwakye, Ryder Bush-Ivanko, and RJ Madet all set personal bests in the 60m dash. Burton finished with a time of 7.13s. Kwakye finished with a time of 7.21s. Madet finished a tick behind Kwakye with a time of 7.23s, and Bush-Ivanko finished with a time of 7.27s.
Connor Cecil competed in the men's 400m run. Cecil finished with a new personal best time of 53.05s.
Braxton Taft Cummings ran a personal best 2:01.42 in the men's 800m run.
Justin Kwakye sprinted to a new personal best 23.13s in the 200m sprint.
Luke Capps ran a new personal best 10:00.07 in the 3000m run.
Sean Sanchez set a new personal best in the 5000m run, finishing with a time of 15:18.25.
Justin Owens set a new personal best in the 5000m run, finishing with a time of 15:43.53.
In the Field
Will Wainwright, Iggy Welch, and Preston Wright all threw new personal bests in men's Shot Put. Wainwright threw a PR of 15.19m, Welch a PR of 14.83m, and Wright a PR of 10.93m.
Luke New matched his personal best in men's Pole Vault with a vault of 4.10m.
Iggy Welch and Jack Zalevskiy both threw personal bests in men's Weight Throw. Welch threw a PR of 13.93m. Zalevskiy threw a PP of 13.11m.
The Lions are off for Christmas break and will resume competition January 16th-17th. They will travel a short distance down the road to Tryon, North Carolina and compete in the Tryon Winter Classic.
