University of Southern Indiana’s freshman Zach Barton earned an NCAA II provisional qualifying mark, as three other Screaming Eagles scored, giving the team 19 points at the Tiger Small College Invitational.
Barton known by most for his soccer skills, dazzled the crowds Friday evening as he made his USI track & field debut in the 60 meters. Barton came out blazing with an NCAA II provisional qualifying time of 6.85 seconds. This mark won him the event and gave the Screaming Eagles 10 points. Barton’s 60m time currently ranks T-25th in the nation and second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. If that wasn’t enough Barton also set a new track, meet, and school record all at once. Barton bested Tom Cunningham’s time of 6.89 in 2009 to vault him to the top of the USI record book. Senior teammate Silaf Harris followed close behind with a time of 7.29 adding six more points to the Eagles’ total. Harris’s time vaulted him into a tie-for-fourth all-time in USI history.
Another Eagle who scored was senior Almustapaha Silvester, he paced the way for USI in the 800m with a time of 2:03.53 good for sixth place and six points tacked onto the team’s total.
In the field events, freshman Caleb Madden nabbed the sixth place in the shot put with a throw measuring in at 46 feet, 3.25 inches. Madden’s toss was a personal best by almost three feet.
Up Next: USI will travel up north for the GVSU Big Meet on Feb. 14-15 held in Allendale Michigan.
