The Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) men's and women's track and field teams secured third place at the Bob Shannon Invitational, hosted by Denison University on February 7. Both teams competed in 16 events, with the women's team scoring 75 points and the men's team achieving 76.50 points. A smaller group of MVNU athletes also participated in the Orange and Black Invitational at Indiana Tech on February 6 and the IWU Midwest Classic on February 7.
At Indiana Tech, the men's 4x800m relay team of Daron Porter, Simon Rohwer, Ryan Lehman, and Evan Hodkinson achieved a school record time of 7:42.62, meeting the NAIA A Standard. Evan Hodkinson also won the 800m event at the IWU Midwest Classic with a B Standard time of 1:53.97. Tyler Shipley set a school record in pole vault with a height of 4.90m.
In women's events, Leah Cooper won the 60m race with a time of 7.98 seconds. Kate Ruffle took first place in long jump with a distance of 5.21m, while Maddy Lengacher set a school record in the 200m with a time of 26.39 seconds.
The next competition for both teams is scheduled for February 14 at the Tiffin Robinson Family Open in Tiffin, Ohio.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is affiliated with both the Crossroads League and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), as said on their official about page. The university emphasizes community service and global outreach through its programs, rooted in Wesleyan evangelical traditions. MVNU features facilities like the R.R. Hodges Chapel Auditorium and is governed by a board elected by regional districts within its Church of the Nazarene affiliation.
