CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Junior Patrick Campbell (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wauwatosa) won the men's 3,000 meters, while both the Bradley men's and women's track & field teams had two finishers in the top six in the mile Saturday afternoon at the season-opening Illini Classic.
Campbell was the top finisher of the day for both teams, clocking a career-best 3,000 meter time of 8:24.48 to claim the title in the men's 3,000 meters. He beat his career-best time by seven seconds and posted the fourth-best time in school history. In addition to Campbell's effort, junior Caleb Beck (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) crossed the line at 8:34.99 to finish fifth in the 3,000 meters and freshman Will Anderson (Avon, Ind./Avon) won his heat in the 3,000 meters at 8:40.29 to take sixth.
Senior Caitlin Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) helped highlight the women's mile for the Braves with a career-best effort of 4:56.10 to become the 10th individual in program history to run a sub five-minute mile. She took third in the women's mile, edging out her twin sister Kristen Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg), who was fifth overall in the mile at 4:58.44.
In the men's mile, senior Chase Coffey (Hanna City, Ill./Farmington) made his return to the track after missing the entire 2015 season to finish second. Coffey's time of 4:12.19 Saturday topped his previous career-best time of 4:13.10 set in 2013 and ranks seventh in program history. Junior Mike Bianchina (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) finished sixth in the mile, while sophomore Taylor Floyd Mews (Milwaukee, Wis./Wauwatosa West) was the top finisher in his heat and seventh in the mile field at 4:19.70.
Junior Rachel Sudbury (Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk) challenged for top honors in the women's 800 meters, posting a time of 2:16.97 to finish second overall. Freshman Gabby Juarez (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood) was strong in her Bradley track debut, placing fourth in the 800 meters at 2:21.27.
The women's 3,000 meters saw senior Kylie McKinney (Petersburg, Ill./PORTA) shave 16 seconds off her career-best time as she crossed the line at 10:20.83 to finish seventh overall. In the women's 600 meters, sophomore Kathryn Adelman (Naperville, Ill./Geneva) won her heat with a time of 1:39.23 and was third overall as she clocked the 12th-best time in Bradley history.
Senior Elizabeth Dutcher (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) helped highlight the field events with a third-place finish in the long jump, clearing 5.27 meters.
The Bradley men's and women's track & field teams are back in action next weekend at the Gladstein Invitational in Bloomington, Ind., Friday and Saturday.
