Track and field teams take nine events at home meet

Nine was the magic number for the IU track and field team Saturday.

That was the number of events the Hoosiers won at the Indiana Open, the season’s first meet, at the Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse. 

The men’s team won the 60-meter dash, 800-meter run, one-mile run, pole vault, triple jump, high jump and shot put.

Sophomore Ben Stephen won the shot put, finding his way into the IU record books by throwing 18.18 meters, good for eighth all-time in school history.

Stephen said afterward he thinks he can improve even more in future events.

“I still have so much more to go, and I am training hard to get better and everything is coming together,” he said.   

In the women’s events, the Hoosiers came out on top in the high jump and shot put.

IU continues competition at home next Saturday when they host the Indiana Invitational.
IU coach Ron Helmer said the Hoosiers can continue to compete well despite being in the preparation stage of the season.

“It’s hard to predict how well we will do next week, since we are still in training,” Helmer said. “With that said, I think good things happened this week and good things will continue to happen next week as well.”