NAPERVILLE, IL – Sophomore Jenna Parlette crushed the school record in the 5,000 meter run this weekend as select Wilmington College track & field athletes competed at the Dr. Keeler Invitational at North Central College.

Parlette (Miamisburg, OH/Miamisburg) became the first woman in school history to cover the distance in under 18 minutes, finishing the race is 17:40.55. She beat her previous mark by 21 seconds.

"We were kind of disappointed she didn't get in the fastest heat," said head coach Ron Combs. "I think she could have run faster."

Due to the cold and raining conditions, the athletes didn't have ideal conditions to improve on their marks as they looked to improve on their national rankings.

"We were able to go against the best kids in the country, so you have to bring your best performances," Combs said of the meet.

Two athletes – Jake Simpkins (Germantown, OH/Valley View) and Leevi Stump (Mount Vernon, OH/Mount Vernon) – set personal bests in the respective events. Simpkins ran the 800 in 1:57.12, while jumped 22-03.75 in the long jump.

Jake Sydnor (Batavia, OH/Clermont Northeastern) won his 400 heat, and finished ninth overall with the time of 49.40. Tyler Caudill (Jamestown, OH/Greeneview) was fourth in the 400 hurdles in the time of 54.78.

Senior Mason Metts (Pomeroy, OH/Meigs) competed at the Cardinal Twilight meet at the University of Louisville due to class conflicts. He finished eighth in the hammer against nearly all scholarship athletes with a throw of 185-10. Metts outdistanced four Division I track athletes at the meet.

Metts and junior Christian Patterson (Cincinnati, OH/Norwood) are solidly entrenched in their events for the National meet. Caudill is currently 23rd nationally in the 400 hurdles, 0.43 of a second away from qualifying.

Athletes will have one final attempt to earn qualifying marks as they will compete Monday and Tuesday at the Althoff Invitational at Ohio Wesleyan.