Foresters Post a Pair of Podium Finishes on Day 1 of MWC Championships

Photos by Tianna Beilke
Photos by Tianna Beilke

Senior Jorge Villanueva was the runner-up in the 10,000 and sophomore Yaneli Guajardo finished third in the 1500 Friday at the 2019 Midwest Conference Championship Meet. The two-day event is taking place at St. Norbert College.

In the final race of his collegiate career, Villanueva completed 25 laps around the track in 31:18.91, breaking his own program record by nearly 17 seconds. He crossed the line 11 seconds after the winner and 11 before the third-place finisher. Lake Forest junior Philip Wilson was fifth in the same event with a time of 32:30.41 and senior Emily Staufer placed 10th in the women's race in 42:42.19.

Guajardo also broke her own school record in the 1500, finishing with a time of 4:51.52, less than a second behind the winner. The previous mark she set five weeks ago was exactly a second slower than her time on Friday. Senior Christian Aldana was ninth in the men's race in 4:05.52, just .43 seconds off the team record he set last year.

While the Foresters did not have anyone advance to Saturday's finals in the 400, senior David Carrillo and freshman Mathieu Norcross turned in the fastest times since track was reinstated as a varsity sport at the College last year. Carrillo was 12th in the event in 53.45 seconds and Norcross 13th with a time of 54.04. Sophomore Audrey Paglia ranks second in program history in the women's 400 and remains in that spot after posting a career-best time of 1:05.88 and placing 10th in the prelims.

Individual Foresters will compete in the 3000 steeplechase, 800, 5000, and 4x400 relay on Saturday.