INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI men's track and field team got the weekend off to a glowing start on Friday (Feb. 9) with some strong performances at the Marian Indoor Invitational inside Fall Creek Pavilion. Nick Perkins keyed the Jaguars' entries in the 3,000m event with a runner-up finish while Luke Shappell was runner-up in the mile. Connor Murphy also collected a second-place finish in the 1,000m event as well.

IUPUI loaded up the mile as Shappell placed second overall with a time of 4:13.60, taking nearly six seconds off his prior best. Will Clark placed fourth in the mile with a personal best time of 4:17.77 and freshman Noah Price was sixth at 4:20.32. Two other Jaguars - Nolan King (4:27.18) and Mitchell Rans (4:28.13) - also finished among the top-10 finishers with 23 entrants spread over two heats. King was IUPUI's lone entry in the slower heat and collected a race win.

In the 800m event, Alex Alba just missed a season-best effort with a time of 1:58.51 and Price doubled back with a time of 2:02.25. Murphy was the lone Jaguar in the 1,000m race and placed second with a time of 2:36.92, just missing a new personal best. 

The Jaguars also loaded up the two heats of the 3K with Perkins running a personal best time of 8:28.79, taking three seconds off his previous best. Shappell doubled back with a fourth-place finish at 8:45.51 and Deion Guise was fifth at 8:45.89.

"It was honestly better that I ran the 3K today than the 5K in Boston because the likelihood that I get into the fast section for conference is much higher now," Perkins said. "Plus, I got to PR, which is always a win.

"I think the younger guys showed a lot of toughness today and I am always happy to be running fast in my hometown."