Perkins Leads DC Men on First Day of HCAC Championships

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Justin Perkins claimed Defiance's lone event crown on the opening day of the 2009 HCAC Championships, helping the Jackets total 20 points through the first six events. The Jackets should see that total grow, as a number of their top-ranked athletes are set to compete in the finals tomorrow.

Perkins garnered Defiance's first-ever HCAC steeplechase title, outracing the field of 15 with a time of 9:47.69 to earn All-HCAC honors. The freshman will look to increase his point total, as he is set to compete in the 1500m and 5000m tomorrow.

Austin Trivett and Kyle Longsdorf added to DC's scoring total, each placing in the pole vault. Trivett finished third after clearing 13-10.50 while Longsdorf was sixth in his initial conference championship meet. Jordan Weber was the other Jacket to score, earning eighth-place honors in the triple jump with a personal-record leap of 40-01.50.

Defiance had a number of individuals qualify for finals in the running events, highlighted by Blake Witherspoon's pair of top times in the 100m and 200m dashes. The freshman sprinter ran collegiate-best marks in both events, running the 100m in 10.88 and the 200m in 20.03. DC had two other athletes qualify for the finals in the sprinter events, as Trey Harris qualified in both the 100m and 200m dashes while Ryan Perry is set to compete in the 100m finals.

Seth Bidlack finished the day as one of Defiance's biggest surprises, running a personal-best by nearly four seconds on his way to qualifying third in the 800m with a time of 1:58.74. Trivett (15.85) and Weber (16.02) qualified fourth and sixth in 110m hurdles, as both ran personal-record times in prelims. Issac Wilkins worked his way into the 400m finals, qualifying eighth with the best time of his career, 53.38.

The final day of the HCAC Championships will kick-off tomorrow, Saturday, April 25 at 10:00 a.m. on the campus of Rose-Hulman.