TIFFIN, Ohio – The Capital University track and field teams competed at the OAC Indoor Championships over the past two days where both teams picked up fifth place finishes as a team. The fifth place finish for both teams marks a stark difference between last year's results where the men finished ninth and the women placed 10th. 

Among the many accomplishments for the Comets, freshman Kaylee Jackson walked away as the OAC's Marcie French Women's Most Outstanding Hurdler/Sprinter after she claimed three victories and one runner-up finish over the two days. 

In total, the Comets landed 12 All-OAC placements, a stark improvement over recent years. 

As a team, Capital set forth eight new school records, highlighted by the men's 4x200-meter relay team which also set a new OAC conference record, breaking John Carroll's record from 2024. 

Below is a summary of all of the accomplishments over the past two days for the Purple and White. 

DAY TWO 
MEN
60-meter dash: Mershaud Parker earned a fourth place finish, running a time of 6.96 seconds. Cheik Souare placed eighth in 7.17 seconds. 

200-meter dash: Mershaud Parker was busy again in the 200-meter dash as this time he emerged victorious, winning the event in 22.16 seconds. The time moves him into second all-time at Capital. Neko Henry earned points for the team with a seventh place finish as he ran 22.60 seconds. Cheik Souare narrowly missed the point scoring positions, placing ninth in 22.64 seconds. Demetre Wheeler rounded it out with a time of 22.82 seconds. 

One Mile run: Kolin Brake earned All-OAC honors, placing third in a new school record time of 4:17.90. He lowers his own school record set earlier this season. Chip Smith placed 13th in a time of 4:26.60. 

3,000-meter run: Justin Rona led the team with a sixth place finish, running a time of 8:51.05. The time was a slight improvement on his own standing in fourth all-time at Capital. Mikey Arnone was next for the Comets, placing seventh in a time of 8:52.74. Zach Glotzbecker was next for Cap, finishing in 8:59.82. Ridwan Aliawl (9:14.99) and Kolin Brake (9:20.62) rounded it out for the Comets.

4x200-meter relay: The quartet of Demetre Wheeler, Mershaud Parker, Cheik Souare, and Darron Robinson won the event in a time of 1:28.42, setting both a school record and OAC record in the process. The time beat out the prior OAC record of 1:28.45 set by John Carroll in 2024. The tie also beat the previous school record of 1:30.94 set in 2006. 

4x400-meter relay: The foursome of Neko Henry, Demetre Wheeler Mershaud Parker and Darron Robinson clocked in a time of 3:21.06, which placed them second overall – just .02 seconds off first place. That time was also a new school record, beating the time of 3:23.08 set earlier this season. 

Shot Put:Nolan Piper placed eighth overall with a toss of 14.77 meters. The distance moves up to eighth all-time at Capital in the event. Waylon Yeager tossed 13.17 meters to place 19th.
 
WOMEN
60-meter dash: Jaleea Harvey placed second overall in a time of 7.88 seconds, which is good enough to move her into second all-time in the event. 

200-meter dash: Kaylee Jackson won the event in a time of 25.32 seconds – a time good enough to lower her own school record set earlier this season. Jaleea Harvey placed 10th in 26.81 seconds, followed closely by Maria Da Cunha in 11th (26.90 seconds), and Isabella Johnson in 12th (27.08 seconds). The time of 26.81 seconds for Harvey was good to tie her for 10th all-time in the event at Capital. 

800-meter run: Shelby Janes placed sixth overall in a time of 2:23.93. The time is good to improve her own standing in fourth all-time at Capital. 

3,000-meter run: Laney Tarr placed 17th in a time of 11:01.25. 

4x200-meter relay: The quartet of Maria Da Cunha, Isabella Johnson, Kaylee Jackson, and Jaleea Harvey won the event in a time of 1:43.76. The time was good to set a new school record. The time beat out the prior record of 1:43.88 set in 2009. 

4x400-meter relay: The quartet of Juli Sprague, Shelby Janes, Maria Da Cunha, and Kaylee Jackson placed second overall in a time of 4:04.60 to earn All-OAC honors. 

Triple Jump: Jersie Papacostas placed 11th, leaping 9.82 meters, followed by Larae Portis who placed 12th with a jump of 9.72 meters. 

High Jump: Brooklyn Herbert placed 13th overall, clearing the height of 1.53 meters. 

DAY ONE
MEN
60-meter dash: Mershaud Parker qualified for the finals in fifth with a time of 6.94 seconds. Cheik Souare also qualified for the finals, running 6.97 seconds in the prelims. Leighton Kordack rounded out the prelims with a time of 7.19 seconds. The time of 6.94 seconds for Parker bumped him up to second all-time in Capital history in the event. 

400-meter dash: Neko Henry finished fourth overall in a time of 50.24 seconds. 

5,000-meter run: Justin Rona crossed the line in fifth place, running a time of 15:20.81, which lowered his own school record by 10 seconds. Zach Glotzbecker placed eighth for the Comets, running a massive personal best time of 15:30.80. Aiden Mahony rounded it out with a quality race of 16:29.39. 

Distance Medley Relay: The Comets quartet of Kolin Brake, Chip Smith, Mikey Arnone and Neko Henry won the DMR in a time of 10:17.44 – a time that broke the previous school record by more than 20 seconds. The prior record of 10:40.32 stood since 2024 from the team of Donovan Slattery, Joseph Countryman, Brake and Arnone. 

Weight Throw: Nolan Piper threw a massive personal best in the weight to claim All-OAC honors and a second place finish. His mark of 17.86 meters beat his prior PR mark (16.93m) by nearly an entire meter. William Dodd Jr. threw 13.09 meters in his best attempt. 

WOMEN
60-meter dash: Jaleea Harvey ran a new personal best time of 7.93 seconds to qualify to the finals in third place. The time lifts her into third all-time at Capital as just the fifth Capital runner to break eight seconds in program history. 

400-meter dash: Kaylee Jackson reached the top of the podium as OAC Champion in the 400-meter dash, clocking a time of 59.44 seconds to claim the win. Isabella Johnson followed with a time of 1:05.91. 

500-meter dash: Maria Da Cunha placed second overall to claim All-OAC honors in a time of 1:18.41. That time was good enough to set a new school record, breaking Caitlyn Tulloss' record of 1:19.32 set in 2014. 

5,000-meter run: Laney Tarr placed 16th overall in a time of 19:25.83. 

Distance Medley Relay: The Comets' quartet of Shelby Janes, Juli Sprague, Chloe Zarlino and Jenavieve Vasquez placed eighth overall in a time of 13:58.32. 

Pole Vault: Claire Robinson placed fourth in the pole vault after clearing the bar at 3.53 meters. Alex Wilkinson then placed in a tie for eighth, clearing a new PR of 3.38 meters. 

Long Jump: Jersie Papacostas was 11th, jumping 5.02 meters in her best attempt. 

Weight Throw: Mia Sanchez registered a throw of 12.10 meters in her best attempt. 

UP NEXT
Capital will set their sights on a yet to be determined last chance meet next weekend. Once the team finalizes details, information will be posted to the track and field schedule page at athletics.capital.edu.