Sports

Esports gaining ground as serious sport in Illinois schools

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Esports has not been around as long as NCAA basketball but it’s becoming just as popular on some college and high school campuses. In a FOX 32 special report, we take a closer look at this fast-growing after-school activity. When classes are done for the day at Naperville North High School, many […]

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4 weeks ago

April 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Esports gaining ground as serious sport in Illinois schools

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Esports has not been around as long as NCAA basketball but it’s becoming just as popular on some college and high school campuses.

In a FOX 32 special report, we take a closer look at this fast-growing after-school activity.

When classes are done for the day at Naperville North High School, many students head outside to play their favorite sport.

Right now, that’s anything from baseball to tennis to lacrosse.

Even though it’s spring, there are dozens of other students playing another favorite sport—still inside the school.

Esports is also known as competitive video gaming.

“Our varsity and JV teams are not your traditional things you would find perhaps outside in other sports and events at a high school,” said Chris Terpstra. “I have several freshmen on varsity teams and I have several juniors and seniors that might be on the JV team.”

Terpstra is the general manager for Naperville North’s esports team.

When he’s not managing his 80-student roster in the ten different titles they compete in, he’s working in the school’s special education department.

“Everything within esports has a great way of breaking down a lot of the barriers that society has put up for us,” he said. “I think what esports does is allow us to reach out to the students that maybe wouldn’t have an outlet for perhaps their interests. Not everybody is going to go out and compete on an athletic field.”

While Luke Bourgeois was already involved in other school activities when he joined esports last year, he says this one made him feel the most comfortable.

“I’ve never had a club where I could nerd out with my friends as much as this,” Bourgeois said. “I just feel like I belong here.”

This year, the sophomore is on the varsity Super Smash Brothers and Rocket League teams, and he’s captain of the varsity Pokémon Unite team.

He says his parents weren’t very optimistic about him playing esports at first, and then they saw how much success he and his teammates were having.

“At state, they obviously have some college scouts and at this most recent Smash Bros tournament I was talked to by a coach from Syracuse and from Michigan State,” Bourgeois said.

“There’s 20 colleges on the table, but it’s been narrowed down to some of them and the big offer is one of them,” said Hinsdale Central senior David Collins.

That’s how many colleges are trying to recruit Collins to play on their esports teams.

“He is our first to get a scholarship for doing this. He’s the first one to pursue it in college,” said Sam Norris.

Norris is the head of esports at Hinsdale Central High School.

“We’re not the biggest program, but we have our niche. We found it and we really enjoy playing Super Smash Brothers,” he said.

Playing that zone has paid off for them, and they’ve got the hardware to prove it.

Norris says his players are also developing other valuable skills, just as they would playing any other sport, like communication and flexibility.

“A lot of it is the yelling but it is cool to see when they end up strategizing at the tournaments,” Norris said.

“I know for me, personally, I’ve gotten so much out of it and I’ve grown so much as a person through the time and energy that I’ve put into my team and into this program,” said DePaul University senior Kylee Walters.

Walters is one of the 250 students who competes on DePaul’s esports team. She’s a player, a team captain and what’s also called a “Streaming Demon.”

“I know it would be an absolute dream to work somewhere in the gaming and technology industry,” Walters said.

“We just recently expanded this space. We doubled in size because we were hitting a hundred-plus students coming into the gaming center per day because students want to be here,” said Jeffery Fricke-Waters.

Fricke-Waters is the esports coordinator for DePaul.

“Community is at the core of what we do. I have seen so many times students walking in and they know nobody. They really just like playing Fortnite. They walk in to the gaming center and they walk out with their best friends,” he said.

With numbers like that, Fricke-Waters says esports is DePaul’s largest student program.

“We have the most engagement. We have the most students that are coming in having that touch point with the university,” said Fricke-Waters.

He says students who pass through are majoring in several different subjects, not just computers, and that there are different job opportunities to pursue in esports after school.

“Helping to manage teams or you’re doing design work for them, or HR. They are just as much of a company as Verizon,” Fricke-Waters said.

“The gaming industry is bigger than movies and music combined. It’s just what kids are doing and seeing now. It’s how they interact with each other. It’s how they interact with the world a lot of the times,” said Ben Bruce.

Bruce is the chair of the IHSEA, the Illinois High School Esports Association.

Similar to the IHSA, this organization runs full-length seasons for all of the popular video games students are competing in along with a few tournaments—like one called the Midwest Battleground, where high school and college teams from multiple states competed in February.

“We have 120 high schools and over four thousand students competed with us in the last year. We see it continuing to grow,” Bruce said.

According to Statista.com, an online market research database, esports revenue in the U.S. is projected to reach $1.2 billion this year.

“We’ve been gathering data on clubs and organizations inside the high school space,” said Bubba Gaedert.

Gaedert is a senior lecturer at the College of Esports in London and the president of the Video Games and Esports Foundation here in the U.S.

He says studies have shown students involved in esports improve academically.

“So the numbers we have right now as attendance goes up by 10%, which is a big deal. That’s a big number in the education system to have a percentage to go up throughout the school year, as well as a GPA increase of about 1.4,” Gaedert said.

Just like other athletes, many schools require esports teams to keep up their grades and attendance if they want to compete.

With the surge in esports showing no signs of stopping, DePaul’s Streaming Demons may soon be just as popular as its Screaming Blue Demon basketball team.

“I think we are right on the edge to really overpass where some of our athletics are,” Fricke-Waters said.

Both of the high school teams we interviewed practice once a week in person for about two hours and have a few other sessions online.

You also had to try out for these teams and yes, they have playbooks and game tapes to study just like other sports teams.

The Source: The FOX 32 Chicago Investigative Team reported on this story.

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Princeton University

Happy Day-After Mothers’ Day to all the moms out there. There’s nothing quite like the mom of a college athlete. Those four years in college are the culmination of a lifetime of organizing carpools, spending hours watching club tournaments or swim meets or any other sport and keeping their growing athletes fed and hydrated. They’ve […]

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2 minutes ago

May 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Happy Day-After Mothers’ Day to all the moms out there.

There’s nothing quite like the mom of a college athlete. Those four years in college are the culmination of a lifetime of organizing carpools, spending hours watching club tournaments or swim meets or any other sport and keeping their growing athletes fed and hydrated.

They’ve taken a backseat during birthdays and anniversaries — and loved every minute of it. When it’s over, they miss it terribly.

And nobody cheers like the college sports moms. They high-five and hug and wear their collective hearts on their sleeves. There’s a reason the TV cameras find them after a goal is scored.

Hopefully, for everything they’ve done, they were showered yesterday with gifts and flowers and whatever they might have wanted.

The Princeton Department of Athletics is loaded with moms as well. Hopefully they received the same treatment.

Not all moms had the day off. There were plenty of track and field moms who were in New Haven for the Ivy League Heptagonal outdoor track and field championships.

Those whose offspring compete for Princeton went home very happy .

The Princeton men and women swept the team championships on a history-making day. For one thing, both teams completed the “Triple Crown” of having won Heps titles in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field. That makes an extraordinary 12 times that the men have done so and three times that the women have.

This academic year joins 2010-11 as years where both teams won Triple Crowns.

Also, the two Ivy championships brought the year’s total to 16, eclipsing the old league record of 15 that Princeton had done on two other occasions. That’s 16 Ivy League championships with three still on the table this coming weekend in women’s open rowing and men’s heavyweight and lightweight rowing.

TigerBlog went to the Ivy website yesterday to see what the updated team scores were. To get there, he clicked on a story that read “Harvard Men, Princeton Women Lead After Day 1 Of Heps.”

By the time he had clicked on the “live results” link, the Princeton men were way ahead.

The women built their Day 1 lead with help from Georgina Scoot in the long jump and Shea Greene in the javelin, both of whom 1) won their event and 2) set a Heps record while doing so. For Greene, a junior, that’s three straight Heps javelin titles.

Princeton went 1-2-4 in the javelin, with Greene, Niki Woods and Kameil Crane. Princeton went 1-2 in the long jump, as Scoot was followed by teammate Alexandra Kelly.

Greg Foster won yet another Ivy League high jump championship of his own, by nearly a foot, for the first points of the meet Saturday. That’s six between indoor and outdoor, if you’re keeping score.

As yesterday afternoon went along, Princeton added points without many first place finishes but with seconds and thirds, and sometimes both in the same event (like Marcelo Parra Ramon and Franco Parra Ramon in the men’s steeplechase and Joe Licata and Casey Helm in the men’s shot put).

There was even a 2-3-4, with Layla Giordano, Makenna Marshall and Siniru Iheoma. Each time TB checked the team standings, Princeton was further ahead, especially after Mena Scatchard and Harrison Witt did what they do, which was to sweep the 1,500.

And then there was Foster again, with a win in the 110 hurdles, followed in third by teammate Easton Tan and fourth by teammate Yuki Hojo. There was another 2-3-4 in the men’s 100 meters, with Jadon Spain, Jackson Clarke and Paul Kuhner.

By mid-afternoon, the team titles were pretty much locked up. There would still be more highlights.

Scoot would win the triple jump. Iheoma won the shot put. Helm and Avery Shunneson went 1-2 in the discus. Clarke and Gant went 1-2 in the 200.

The women put up 202.5 points, followed by runner-up Harvard with 178.5, with nobody else over 100. The men won by a larger margin, with 212.5 points to 128 for Harvard, who was also in second-place here.

Dominance? Yes, having the men and women win a Triple Crown in the same year fits that description.

So does winning 16 of the first 30 Ivy titles awarded in an academic year.

That’s a lot of high fives from the Tiger moms.

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‘We’ve done the double!’ – Dublin water polo club win Irish cup double

St Vincent’s women’s team celebrates victory in the Irish Senior Cup Dublin’s St Vincent’s men’s team won the Irish Senior Cup for the third consecutive year St Vincent’s Water Polo Club, based in Dublin 15, are celebrating on the double after both their women’s and men’s teams claimed victory in the Irish Senior Cup. The […]

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15 minutes ago

May 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

St Vincent's women's team celebrates victory in the Irish Senior Cup — St Vincent’s women’s team celebrates victory in the Irish Senior Cup

Dublin's St Vincent's men's team won the Irish Senior Cup for the third consecutive year — Dublin’s St Vincent’s men’s team won the Irish Senior Cup for the third consecutive year

St Vincent’s Water Polo Club, based in Dublin 15, are celebrating on the double after both their women’s and men’s teams claimed victory in the Irish Senior Cup.

The women’s team played out a nail-biting final against Galway’s Tribes at the university pool in Limerick on Saturday.

After an intense battle, nothing could separate the two teams, with the All-Ireland decider ending in a 10-10 draw.

Tribes led for most of the match, but St Vincent’s stayed in the game, edging ahead 10-9 in the final two minutes.

However, Tribes were awarded a penalty in the dying moments and levelled the score.

Both teams used their timeouts, but neither could find the winner, and the match went to penalties.

St Vincent’s edged the shootout 3-2, with Zoe O’Brien saving the final penalty, sealing the Irish Senior Cup title for her team.

It was a heart-breaking outcome for a Tribes side making their first senior cup final appearance.

The result means St Vincent’s complete their own double, having also defeated Tribes on penalties in last week’s league final.

Clíona Colvin captained the senior team and was named in the Ladies Team of the Tournament alongside Ciara Williams and Aoife Hennessy.

Meanwhile, St Vincent’s faced another Galway side, Corrib, in the men’s Senior Cup final, leading from start to finish, closing out the match 14-9.

This marks the third consecutive Irish Senior Cup win for St Vincent’s.

Announcing the wins on social media, the club gave a “big thanks” to all the players, coaches, and team managers who worked “so hard all season” and showed incredible dedication to the club.

Both senior teams are now Division One League and Irish Senior Cup champions for the season.

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Sports

Evision bowls MENA over – BroadcastPro ME

Tapping into the MENA region’s growing passion for cricket, evision has built a dominant sports portfolio through smart rights deals, platform innovation and unique monetisation strategies. In an exclusive conversation with BroadcastPro ME, evision’s Head of Content Sunil Joy shares how the company has used sport to reshape the region’s entertainment landscape. In an era […]

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20 minutes ago

May 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

In an era defined by mobile-first audiences, on-demand content and real-time social media interaction, sport remains one of the most powerful engines of engagement. Its unpredictability captures the imagination of a global audience, while technology continues to transform how fans experience the action, no matter how far they are from the field.

And as personalisation becomes central to sports consumption, streaming platforms feed this transformation with anytime, anywhere viewing. This expands reach and offers flexibility that caters to the diverse demands of sports enthusiasts, in return driving smart monetisation models that support and benefit a growing segment. From pay-per-view to on-demand shows, sports broadcasting has undergone a sea change.

The MENA region, with its historic love for football, has witnessed growing loyalty towards cricket, driven largely by the South Asian diaspora and the recent trend of hosting international cricketing events in the region. The sport has established a stable following in markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, attracting significant viewership and offering brands a valuable opportunity to connect with a niche audience.

Identifying the substantial cricket fanbase in the region, evision seized the opportunity to establish itself as the MENA home of cricket. The media and entertainment arm of the region’s biggest tech company, e&, has seen the region’s demand for premium cricket and has strategically acquired broadcasting rights to some premium games, including exclusive ICC rights.

Recognising the growing demand for cricket, evision launched CricLife in 2019 alongside the 12th ICC Cricket World Cup, and the channel quickly evolved into a dedicated platform for showcasing international cricket. Rising interest in the sport soon led to the launch of CricLife2 and CricLife3, along with their availability on the streaming platform StarzPlay. This was the first local streamer to recognise the value of sports content and begin investing in niche sports rights, challenging the near-monopoly of regional heavyweight beIN. The subsequent acquisition by evision of a majority stake in StarzPlay strengthened both companies’ positions in the competitive sports rights arena, establishing them together as a formidable force in the region.

Imam-ul-Haq of Pakistan is run out by Axar Patel of India (not pictured) during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match between Pakistan and India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23, 2025, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

After securing key tournament exclusive rights from the ICC, the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board, evision expanded the lineup in 2023 to include the Indian Premier League (IPL), the most popular cricket league in the world. “Since then we’ve strategically built one of the most comprehensive cricket portfolios in the region, now holding the rights to all ICC tournaments, the Asia Cup, the IPL and more,” says Sunil Joy, Head of Content at evision.

While evision has made a special investment in cricket, it has also broadly invested in sports rights that serve a wide range of interests and preferences. “Sport has helped us create appointment viewing again. We’ve seen significant spikes in user acquisition, time spent and retention, particularly among younger audiences. More importantly, it has strengthened our platform’s brand equity,” says Joy.

Cricket rights are no doubt expensive, but evision has always made it publicly clear that it only goes after rights that are commercially viable. To make that possible, it has developed a multifaceted monetisation strategy that combines strategic partnerships, subscription models, advertising revenues and content bundling.

Specifically with the IPL, where evision has exclusive MENA linear broadcasting rights and non-exclusive MENA digital rights, leveraging both depends on how smartly it can activate and scale. For the latter, evision platforms offer superior quality of service through ultra-low latency, regional customisation and smart bundling options, making it the preferred streaming destination for IPL in the region.

“Our approach ensures we cater to the monetisation potential of exclusivity and the fan-first promise of accessibility. It boosts our advertising inventory and revenue potential, as more brands can enter the IPL ecosystem through targeted, scalable campaigns,” says Joy.

With media rights valued at a staggering $6.2bn for the 2023- 2027 cycle and per-match value of $15.1m, the IPL is a global sport and entertainment phenomenon. It has consistently ranked among the top five sports leagues worldwide, standing with the NFL (US), Premier League (UK), NBA (US) and MLB (US) in terms of media rights valuation, fan engagement and franchise worth. With a diverse, top-tier player base from the great cricketing nations of the world, its global footprint continues to expand.

Pat Cummins of Australia lifts the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Trophy after victory in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup India 2023 Final between India and Australia at Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19, 2023, in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Broadcast in over 190 countries, it is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, with the Middle East emerging as its largest international market.

Securing rights to a premium sports property like the IPL was the result of a clear, forward-looking strategy centred on market insight, regional commitment and platform capability. It is a more controllable, scalable asset with long-tail value, explains Joy.

“IPL is a commercially sustainable asset. It’s repeatable, localisable and monetisable each year. And when it comes to securing such a powerful property, exclusivity is everything. We understand that streaming success hinges on strategic rights management. While licensing remains key, the true value lies in how those rights are activated in a region witnessing exponential digital growth.”

Recognising the region’s growing passion for cricket, and understanding the craving for accessibility and engagement, allowed the company to move swiftly and decisively when the rights became available. Aligned with that came its core commitment to building long-term value in sport.

“We weren’t just bidding for content; we were investing in a multi-year vision that supports the growth of cricket and other premium sports in the region. Our track record with exclusive properties like UFC, Serie A, PGA and the ICC portfolio strengthened our position for evision and StarzPlay as a credible, capable partner,” adds Joy.

Marking a bold step forward this year, with the aim of significantly expanding reach across segments, some IPL matches have been made free to watch via evision’s AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) platform Starz On.

In today’s competitive rights environment, exclusivity is merely a part of the ecosystem. It is primarily about the end-to-end experience – activating, packaging and retaining value – rather than just about streaming the game. Being a premium appointment viewing model backed by high-value sponsorships, expert coverage and curated programming has reinforced evision’s prospects. Low latency, regional language options and smart bundling make the platform an important choice for cricket fans in the MENA.

Steve Smith of Australia flips the coin as Jos Buttler of England looks on ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match between Australia and England at Gaddafi Stadium on February 22, 2025, in Lahore, Pakistan. (Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

“What sets us apart is the broader network that has been built to retain sports audiences beyond the tournament. We’re not just a cricket destination, we’re an entertainment hub – viewers are left with fewer reasons to leave and more reasons to stay,” says Joy.

Owing to the nature of its fan following, serving a vast viewing field was an important element of the IPL content acquisition strategy. Cricket audiences in India have deep-rooted state and city allegiances, which the IPL thrives on. The MENA viewer, on the other hand, is cosmopolitan and player-driven, with a higher ARPU (average revenue per user). The IPL balances both worlds – in India it builds on loyalties, while in the MENA it amplifies cross-border narratives that resonate with a multicultural audience.

“This duality is what makes the IPL such a powerful property,” says Joy. “It is deeply local at its core, yet truly global in its appeal. And we tailor our strategy to suit that. Our storytelling, promotions and platform experience differ by market, making the experience inclusive, aspirational and globally tuned.”

India is undoubtedly the IPL’s core market, accounting for over 80% of viewership. Ad models reflect broad targeting, high frequency and multi-platform amplification. In contrast, the MENA is a premium, precision-driven market. Brands think of regional relevance, audience affinity and cultural alignment.

Optimising a premium product such as the IPL requires a model that can adapt to changing viewing patterns as well as diverse market conditions. Evision depends on a blend of multiple streams that include subscription, ad-supported models and sponsorships tailored to different content types and viewing experiences. For the current IPL season, it has introduced an ad-supported model that allows it to leverage programmatic ads as well as partner with brands to tap into a larger audience base, and simultaneously increase revenue through targeted, scalable ad opportunities.

Given the popularity of the IPL in the GCC, customisation efforts are geared towards enhancing the experience with curated match highlights, smarter ad targeting based on user behaviour and low-latency streaming.

“On our platforms, latency has been brought down to 8-12 seconds and the aim is to adopt the ultralow-latency tech (1-3 seconds) soon. We are using adaptive cloud-based delivery infrastructure, [and have] built responsive UIs and synchronised data layers that ensure users get the same experience on a mobile app, web browser or connected TV,” says Joy.

Piracy poses a significant challenge to rights exclusivity. Illegal streaming during high-profile tournaments, facilitated by social media and unauthorised IPTV apps, is prevalent. It threatens overall revenue and undermines sponsor confidence, says Joy. “By investing in advanced security measures, enhancing legal streaming services and collaborating with regulatory bodies, the industry can combat piracy effectively and safeguard investments in sports media.”

Sports consumption is undergoing a significant transformation in the MENA, with exciting possibilities for the future of sports media in the region. From a passive consumer base, it has evolved into an active sports engagement hub and curator of premium sporting content, strengthening the link between audiences and sport.

And as AI leans into all of this, interactive viewing will be the standard. Broadcasters are integrating real-time stats, interactive features and social media-style edits to optimise vertical viewing. As technology brings about this flexibility, power has shifted to viewers. Fans enjoy deeper engagement than ever before by way of AR, VR and 360-degree broadcasts. AI powers dynamic graphics and visuals during live sport, and offers in-game enhancements like player tracking, augmented reality overlays or even virtual commentators.

“Traditional gave a fixed angle, and digital is changing all of that,” says Joy. “On-demand controls allow viewers to pause, rewind or watch key moments in slow motion or at their own pace.”

Growth in MENA digital sports consumption is largely driven by Gen Z and millennials, whose engagement and viewership surpasses their counterparts in Europe and the US. Interest in sport has climbed from 27% in 2021 to 36% in 2024 among 16-24-year-olds, a 33% increase over three years. This is linked to strategic regional investment in local and international sports leagues, clubs and events that are increasingly accessible via digital platforms.

Football remains the dominant sport in terms of content acquisition, viewership numbers and commercial viability. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, nearly 93% of the adult population in the country tuned in for key matches. However, cricket is becoming increasingly significant. Data from the 2023 IPL shows strong viewership growth in the GCC, with the UAE leading in engagement. This growth is expected to continue with the rising popularity of the IPL and as more international cricket tournaments are hosted in the region.

The future of MENA sports streaming, and specifically in the GCC, will be about delivering a personalised, accessible sporting experience for the viewer while unravelling new revenue streams that guarantee long-term digital growth and sustainability for the broadcaster.

“Evision’s objective is to invest responsibly, scale strategically and become the trusted digital sports destination in the region, and in so doing deepen our impact on the sporting landscape,” concludes Joy.

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Sports

Men’s Track & Field Takes Home Second Place at Horizon League Championships

Story Links YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Milwaukee men’s track & field team closed out action at the Horizon League Championships Sunday. The Panthers finished as runners-up for the sixth consecutive season and won six individual titles on the weekend. Highlighting the final day of action was the Men’s ARI […]

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51 minutes ago

May 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Milwaukee men’s track & field team closed out action at the Horizon League Championships Sunday. The Panthers finished as runners-up for the sixth consecutive season and won six individual titles on the weekend.

Highlighting the final day of action was the Men’s ARI Accelerator Outstanding Running Performer of the Meet Jaelyn Reeves-Lile. He started his day in the 100m dash, securing his first title of the day breaking the program and league championship meet record with a time of 10.24. Reeves-Lile came back for the 200m dash flying to another meet and school record with a championship time of 20.51.

“Jaelyn had a great championship meet,” said head coach Andrew Basler. “Sweeping the 100m and 200m with records in both and punching his ticket to the West Prelims.”

Anthony Buford was named Horizon League Field Freshman of the Year for his long jump victory yesterday. Today, he placed fourth in the 400m dash with a new career-best performance of 49.19.

Dominating the triple jump was Divine Aniamaka, his leap of 15.39m blowing past the rest of the field by over 1.6m and tying the program record in the event. Bryant McLaughlin joined Aniamaka in medaling with a third-place distance of 13.71m, and Bishop Bufford (13.50m) took fourth.

Caden Thomas added a runner-up finish for Milwaukee in the high jump, clearing 2.02m to lead the team.

Earning one more medal for the Panthers was Jeremiah Johnson in the hammer throw, setting a new career-best with a huge toss of 51.40m to finish third.

Lucas Picco represented the Black & Gold with a strong showing in the finals of the 800m run, coming in fourth place at 1:51.93.

Liam Richards had the best pole vault performance of his outdoor career, taking fourth place after clearing 4.41m.

Richards also ran in the finals of the 110m hurdles, claiming the fifth spot after crossing the finish line in 14.81. Ethan Mitchell was next in with a sixth-place time of 15.24.

Will Whiteis was the team’s top finisher in the 5000m run, making his way to the finish in 14:59.53 to take tenth.

“I need to shoutout all our 5000m runners for persevering through heat we have not run in this year and battling hard.” Basler added.

Overall, the Panthers racked up 141 points across the three-day competition.

“The goal is to compete for Horizon League Championships each season and in that sense, we fell short. But that should not take away from the great effort our teams put forth this weekend to claim runner-up trophies.” Basler concluded saying. “The overall energy and support was great and we had a lot of conference champions, all-conference, and end of the year awards. We will continue to find ways to improve as a program to put us in a position to get to the top of the podium.”

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Athletes who have met the NCAA qualifying standards will advance to the NCAA West Regional Preliminary Rounds, held May 28-31 at Texas A&M’s E.B Cushing Stadium in College Station, Texas.

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Olatunde Breaks Records, Leads Harding’s Strong Showing at Mother’s Day Last Chance Meet

Story Links SEARCY — No. 10 Harding men’s track and field team saw several impressive performances at the Harding Mother’s Day Last Chance Meet on Saturday. Sophomore Olaolu Olatunde broke Harding records in both the 100 meters and 200 meters, clocking times of 10.14 seconds and 20.65 seconds, respectively. His […]

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1 hour ago

May 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

SEARCY — No. 10 Harding men’s track and field team saw several impressive performances at the Harding Mother’s Day Last Chance Meet on Saturday.

Sophomore Olaolu Olatunde broke Harding records in both the 100 meters and 200 meters, clocking times of 10.14 seconds and 20.65 seconds, respectively. His performances earned him NCAA Division II qualifying marks and moved him to No. 6 nationally in the 100 meters and No. 13 in the 200 meters.

In the pole vault, junior Kylor Aguilar cleared 5.06 meters (16′ 7.25″) to take first place and meet the NCAA Division II qualifying standard. His mark moved him to No. 21 nationally.

Daniel Osoba dominated the triple jump with a mark of 15.08 meters (49′ 5.75″), securing an NCAA Division II qualifying mark and moving to No. 26 nationally.

Other notable performances included freshman Dillon Williams’ win in the 800 meters with a time of 1:54.11 and Christian Erkert’s first-place finish in the javelin throw with a mark of 57.92 meters (190′ 0″).

The Harding men’s team had multiple athletes meet NCAA Division II qualifying standards, solidifying their positions for nationals.

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