The Hillsdale College men's track and field team competed in its final meets on Friday before the start of the G-MAC Outdoor Championships next week.

Only a partial squad was in action for the Chargers as many athletes were resting for the championship event, but those that did compete earned several personal best marks in action at Hillsdale's home Tune-Up Invite and the Ashland Alumni Open.

Hillsdale's best finish at home was by its 4x400m relay team of Jamahl Burke, Hudson Moorefield, Mark Masaka and Zealand Tarrant, who took first in a time of 3:21.31. It was part of a big day for Burke, who set a new personal best in the 200 meter dash of 21.96 to place eighth, and for Tarrant, who took seventh in the 400m hurdles in a personal best time of 55.95, just behind teammate Colsen Conway, who placed sixth in 55.87.

Also on the track for the Chargers, Charlie Hipkins placed sixth in the 800m run with a new personal best time of 2:00.60.

In the field, freshman John Heyden led the way with a big personal best in the shot put of 15.25 meters to finish fourth, and Jackson Childress took third in the discus with a mark of 46.31 meters. In the long jump, Christian Hinricks took fifth with a mark of 6.21 meters, and teammate Ryan Van Havel took seventh with a personal best jump of 6.02 meters. Connor McCormick also took fifth in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.67 meters.

Hillsdale also sent its top hammer throwers to compete at the Ashland Alumni Open on Friday, led by junior Ben Haas, who won the elite invitational division with a throw of 65.87 meters. Haas, the 2025 NCAA DII Indoor Weight Throw champion, continues to hold the top mark in the division in the hammer throw entering conference championship weekend.

The Chargers now prepare to head to the G-MAC Outdoor Championships, hosted by Ashland University over three days from April 30 to May 2. Hillsdale will look to improve on a fourth-place finish in 2024 this year, as defending conference champions Richie Johnston and Cass Dobrowolski return for the Chargers, and Haas will be the top seed in both the hammer throw and the shot put.

Photo by Sarah Chappelle