INDIANAPOLIS - Two veteran members of the IU Indianapolis men's track team kicked off the two-day Midwest Classic inside Fall Creek Pavilion on Friday night (Jan. 31), running among a stout field in the 5,000m event. 

Grant Moon paced the two entries with a time of 14:56.31, placing ninth of 16 runners and Mitchell Gits crossed at 15:06.51. Purdue's Nathan Walker reset the facility record with a winning time of 13:58.12. 

Both Gits and Moon tucked snugly with the race's second pack from the opening gun, repeatedly clicking off 34 and 35 second laps to start the race. 

Moon's move over the final kilometer helped him overtake Gits and Butler's Brendan Gomez for the ninth-place finish. 

The race was the indoor debut for Moon, who's been slowed by illness to start the campaign. Gits ran the 3,000m at the same facility two weeks ago and was his first 5K of the season. 

Action will resume tomorrow with Jaguars slated for the 800, mile and 3,000m events.