SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (February 25, 2022) – Led by Keanan Ginell's conference championship in the 5,000 meter run, Denison University men's track & field is currently tied for first place at the 2022 North Coast Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship hosted at Wittenberg University's Steemer Fieldhouse. Totaling 34 points after the first day of action, the Big Red are tied with DePauw University after both teams claimed one event title apiece, while Wabash College sits in third place with 29 points.

After beginning the meet in second place thanks to Jacob Brown's second-place finish in the heptathlon last weekend, Denison started off the day on Friday with a pair of point scorers (top-8) in the shot put as Collin Hill placed fifth overall with a long toss of 13.68 meters while Owen Mathes was seventh at 12.75 meters.

Then the highlight of the opening day for the Big Red came on the track in the 5,000 meter run when Ginell brought home Denison's first NCAC championship of the meet with a first-place time of 14:53.15, beating out the only other runner to finish in under 15 minutes, Allegheny's Logan Meyer, who was second with a time of 14:59.82.

Ginell's win pushed the Big Red into first place with 24 points, three points ahead of Wabash in second.

Then after two more point scorers in the long jump, Denison increased its lead ever so slightly to four points (28-24) over DePauw. Scoring in the long jump for the Big Red was Jack Blais (6.41 meters) in sixth place and Brown (6.27 meters) in eighth.

However, in the final event of day one, DePauw went on to win the distance medley relay with an NCAC record-breaking time of 10:18.01 while Denison's combination of Zackary Johnston, Charlie Webb, Will Cunningham and Worth Hinshaw finished third at 10:25.89, resulting in a tie for first place in the team standings.

In the prelim events, Denison added three qualifiers for tomorrow's finals in the 60 meter hurdles after Webb clocked in at 8.67 seconds to finish second, followed by Brown in fifth at 8.92 seconds and Ari Skolnik right behind him in sixth and at 8.98 seconds.

Malik Holley garnered a fourth-place spot in the 200 meter dash prelims with a time of 22.21 seconds, qualifying him for tomorrow's event finals as well.
 
NCAC CHAMPIONSHIPS:

• Keanan Ginell – 5,000 meter run – 14:53.15

 
All-NCAC PERFORMANCES (TOP-3):

• Keanan Ginell – first place in the 5,000 meter run – 14:53.15
• Distance Medley Relay team – third place – 10:25.89 (Zackary Johnston, Charlie Webb, Will Cunningham, Worth Hinshaw)

 
OTHER POINT SCORERS (TOP-8):

• Collin Hill – fifth place in the shot put – 13.68 meters (44-10.75)
• Jack Blais – sixth place in the long jump – 6.41 meters (21-00.50)
• Owen Mathes – seventh place in the shot put – 12.75 meters (41-10.00)
• Jacob Brown – eighth place in the long jump – 6.27 meters (20-07.00)

 
FINALS QUALIFERS:

• Charlie Webb – second place in the 60 meter hurdle prelims – 8.67 seconds
• Malik Holley – fourth place in the 200 meter dash prelims – 22.21 seconds
• Jacob Brown – fifth place in the 60 meter hurdle prelims – 8.92 seconds
• Ari Skolnik – sixth place in the 60 meter hurdle prelims – 8.98 seconds

 
NEXT UP: The Big Red will return to the Steemer Fieldhouse on Saturday, February 26, for day two of the NCAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. Field events will begin at 10 a.m. and the track events will start at 2:30 p.m.
 
Day One Results