WITTENBERG, Ohio – The Malone University track & field program competed in the Wittenberg Steemer Showcase on Saturday. The Pioneer women were credited with a seventh-place finish and the men eighth in a field of nearly 20 institutions.
 
Malone received highlights in distance events from Kristin Yeager, Jenna Cassidy and Rylee Yocum. Yeager was third in the mile run (5:10.92) and sixth in the 800-meter run (2:21.68). Cassidy notched a fifth-place finish in the in the 800 (2:21.38) just in front of her teammate. For Yocum, she secured the eighth spot in the 3,000-meter run at 10:26.11.
 
Sprint events included a pair of eighth-place finishes by Allea Graves in the 60-meter preliminary race and 400-meter run (1:01.26). Graves tied with Macey Hicks in the 60-meter event at 8.08 seconds and Graves' time moves her up to fifth overall on Malone's all-time top-10 list. Hicks moved into the top-10 in program history with her time of 26.39 seconds in the 200-meter run (12th-best time at the event).
 
Additionally, Cara Pipitone (45.21 seconds) and Gabriella Gudger (45.83 seconds) were sixth and seventh in the 300-meter run. Lexi Tucci continued her impressive freshman season in the jumps events with a third-place finish in the long jump (5.25 meters / 17' 2.75") and a fifth-place finish in the high jump (1.55 meters / 5' 1.00").
 
The closest call for an event win for the Pioneers came in the men's 4x400-meter relay team. Tyler Twining, Sabastian Lacatus, Will Potts, Eric Dehmer scored a 3:27.82 and recorded a runner-up finish. Me'zel Square-Ward was also second in the triple jump at 13.99 meters (45' 10.75"), a new personal best mark. Square-Ward was also tenth in the long jump (6.03 meters / 19' 9.50"). In the high jump, Silas Miller was ninth (1.83 meters / 6' 0.00").
 
The next best finish for the Pioneer men was by Dehmer in the 800-meter run. His time of 1:54.45 was good for third. Alex Swinehart (38.29 seconds) and Johnathan White (38.35 seconds) were sixth and seventh as well as Hayden Schmidt seventh in the 3,000-meter run (8:23.49). The final top-10 performances included Alex Hill in the 5,000-meter run at 15:12.47 (ninth) and Gavin Tribelo with a 30.70-meter (44' 11.50") throw in the shot put (tenth).
 
The 2025 NCCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships begin on Friday, February 7 at Cedarville University for the next event.