DAVENPORT, Iowa - This weekend the Mount Mercy Mustangs competed in their first indoor invitational of the season at Saint Ambrose University. The Mustangs competed in several events throughout the meet. No team scores were recorded as all athletes competed as individuals.

In the Men's 60 Meter Final Connor Christophersen (JR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) finished in third place (PR 7.23). Following him in the 60 Meter Final was fellow Mustang teammate, Josh Harmon (SO/Flagstaff, Ariz.) (PR 7.32), finishing fifth. The Mustangs made two more appearances in the 60 Meter Final with August Stamp (SR/Colona, Ill.) (SR/Colona, Ill.) (SR/Colona, Ill.) (SR/Colona, Ill.) finishing ninth (PR 7.45) and Charles Chihak (JR/Lisbon, Iowa) following his teammates in thirteenth (7.75). Chihak finished in 15th for the Men's 200 Meter Final with a time of 25.57. The Mustangs put up a good fight for the Men's 400 Meter Finals, taking two spots in the top three, with Joel Barnes (JR/Vinton, Iowa) coming in second (52.54) and Christophersen coming in third (PR 53.58). The men's team also had several place in the top 12 with Harmon coming in seventh (54.53), Josiah Watson (FR/Walnut, Calif.) in ninth (55.56), followed by Stamp in 10th (55.69), and Devin Blish (SO/Des Moines, Iowa) in 12th (57.88). The Mustangs had Alex Smith (FR/Storm Lake, Iowa) finish out the Men's 1000 Meter final in fifth (3:33.74). The Mustangs took home first in the Men's 3000 Race Walk with Jon Andersen (SR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) taking the cake (14:39.61). With this performance, Andersen qualifies for the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships "B" standard. The Mustangs made an attempt in the Men's Shot Put Finals with Daniel Morales Avalos coming in 13th (9.80m) and Ben Cook (FR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) coming in at 15th (7.59m).

The women's team also competed in the St. Ambrose Holiday Invitational this weekend. The Mustangs made several appearances in the Women's 60 Meter Final with several placing in the top eight. Angela Willoughby (FR/Altoona, Iowa) placing third (8.34), Sophie Feahn (FR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) following in fourth (8.36), and Brie Fuller (FR/Fairfax, Iowa) wrapping it up in seventh (8.61). The women made an attempt for the top five in the Women's 200 Meter Final but just fell short with Feahn coming in at sixth (28.29). She was followed by several of her teammates. Willoughby placing eighth (28.90), Fuller following just behind her in 10th (29.26), and Makayla Zweigart (SR/Watkins, Iowa), Brooklynn Ossman, and Cece Desko (FR/Elgin, Ill.) ended up in 16th (31.57), 17th (32.46), and 18th (32.81) respectively. Almost grasping first, Rachel Gadient (JR/Anamosa, Iowa), represented the Mustangs in the Women's 400 Meter Finals coming in second (1:03.65). Madison Harper (SO/Marion, Iowa) came in fourth (PR 2:05.21) for the Mustangs in the Women's 600 Meter Final. Rachel Gadient grabbed first place for the Women's High Jump Final jumping 1.57m. Her teammate, Zweigart, followed in seventh place (1.37m) in the same event. Jasmine Wardell (JR/Marion, Iowa) made an attempt for the top 5 for the Women's Shot Put Finals but just fell short coming in seventh (PR 11.04m), and Hannah Lueck (FR/Dyersville, Iowa) made top 10 in 10th place (10.34m). Wardell again made a grab for top five in the Women's Weight Throw Finals, again coming in seventh (PR 12.54m), with her teammate Lueck trailing behind in 11th (10.76m).

Overall both teams had a great first weekend, with many athletes making appearances in the top 10 in multiple events. Looking forward to the rest of the indoor season, the Mustangs will compete in the Panther Open on Saturday, January 12 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.