Men's Track and Field 2/20/2024 10:00:00 AM

Owls eager to host NCAC Championship

GAMBIER, Ohio -- With this past weekend's heptathlon results already in the books, the Kenyon College men's track and field team will now turn its attention toward this weekend's 2024 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Owls will host the event on Friday and Saturday in the Lowry Center's Barrett A. Toan Track.

Friday's schedule starts at noon with field events and Saturday's slate starts at 10 a.m. with the remainder of field events. Track events will start at 2:30 p.m. on Friday and 2:15 p.m. on Saturday.

Points earned by athletes who participated in this past weekend's NCAC heptathlon will carry over to the championship meet. Kenyon sophomore Josh Greville placed fifth, set a Kenyon record and earned four points to go toward the Owls' team total.
Greville's speciality is the triple jump and he'll enter the championship meet as the No. 9 seed in the event. His best attempt this season was measured at 42-1 ¼ (12.83 meters).

Fellow Kenyon record holders, Tapiwa Gono Phiri and Riley Orth, also figured into the Owls' final point total. Gono Phiri is a sprinter who possesses program records for the 60-meter and 200-meter dashes. His best time in the 60 this season was 6.99, which ties him for the No. 3 seed in the conference meet. In the 200, he'll check in as the No. 9 seed with a season-best 23.09.

Orth does his work in the throwing pits. Last year, he set the Kenyon record in the shot put and also won the NCAC title in the event. This year, he set the standard in the weight throw. As he moves closer to championship competition, Orth is the top seed in the shot put with a best of 51-7 ¼ (15.73 meters) and is the fourth seed in the weight throw, topping out at 48-11 (14.91 meters).

Collin Witt will run with Gono Phiri in the 200 and is the Owls' best bet in the 400-meter race. He is seeded 12th in the 200 (23.22) and ninth in the 400 (51.83). Back in field events, Ezekiel Kiwanuka will attempt to log points in the long jump. He'll check into the championship as the No. 13 seed with a long leap of 20-9 ¾ (6.34 meters).

Beyond that, Kenyon runs deep in distance events. Sam Rabieh as the No. 6 seed in the 5,000-meter race (15:38.25), Peter Bernhardt is the No. 13 seed in the 3,000-meter run (8:57.91) and Dylan Sibbitt holds the No. 14 seed in the 800-meter race (2:01.79).

Last week, before the heptathlon got underway, the conference coaches voted and released their 2024 pre-championship poll. Wittenberg University got five first-place votes and topped the poll with 76 points. Defending champion, Wabash College, earned the other four first-place votes and claimed the runner-up spot, just one point behind Wittenberg. The host Owls collected 23 points and sat eighth in the poll.

As a reminder to fans, ticket prices for the championship meet are $5 for adults and $3 for children (18 and under), while NCAC students with a valid student ID are admitted for free. A two-day pass is also available. That runs $10 for adults and $6 for children (18 and under).

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Players Mentioned

Peter Bernhardt: Sophomore; Distance

Tapiwa Gono Phiri: Sophomore; Sprints

Riley Orth: Junior; Throws

Sam Rabieh: Sophomore; Distance

Collin Witt: Junior; Sprints

Josh Greville: First-Year; Jumps/Sprints

Ezekiel Kiwanuka: First-Year; Long Jump

Dylan Sibbitt: First-Year; Distance

Players Mentioned

Peter Bernhardt
: Sophomore; Distance

Tapiwa Gono Phiri
: Sophomore; Sprints

Riley Orth
: Junior; Throws

Sam Rabieh
: Sophomore; Distance

Collin Witt
: Junior; Sprints

Josh Greville
: First-Year; Jumps/Sprints

Ezekiel Kiwanuka
: First-Year; Long Jump

Dylan Sibbitt
: First-Year; Distance