Taylor Men Wrap Up Weekend with Impressive Marks

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Taylor men's track and field team netted a pair of NAIA A and B Standards between the We Fly Challenge at Ball State – where most of the team competed – and the Bryan Clay Invitational over April 12-13.

Josh Forbes shattered his personal-best pole vault mark by clearing 4.85 meters in his third-place performance at Ball State. That mark was good enough to hit the NAIA A Standard and send the sophomore back to the NAIA National Championships for a second consecutive season.

Four other sophomores – Joel Mumaw, Ryan Hanak, Luke Harber and Jared Stayte – all placed in the top-10 out of 49 true competitors in the 1,500 meters. Mumaw, Hanak and Harber finished second, third and fourth, respectively, while Stayte ended ninth. Mumaw clocked TU's lone time under four minutes with his 3:58.35 for a new personal best.

Bryce Noble also had a personal best with his time of 1:59.96 in the 800 meters for a 16th place finish, with teammate James Bates just behind in 17th out of 46 finishers.

Braden Bixler recorded TU's best 100 meters mark of the season for the team with his time of 11.04 seconds to place 24th out of 56 runners.

TU also sent a couple select athletes to the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., to compete on Friday evening.

There, Nate Conkel ran a stellar time of 1:52.50 in the 800 meters to eclipse NAIA B Standard and place 62nd in a loaded 235-man field. Nathan Brainer competed in the event as well, clocking a 1:56.08.

The Trojans' outdoor season rolls on at the two-day Little State Championships in Marion, Ind., beginning Friday, April 19.