ALLENDALE, Mich. - Sophomore Joey Ashman lowered his own school record in the 800m event on Friday (Feb. 13) as the men's track team performed well at the GVSU Big Meet-Friday. In addition, two other Jaguars spun new personal bests at the Heartland Invitational inside Fall Creek Pavilion on Friday as well. 

The group that traveled to Michigan for the weekend registered 10 personal bests on Friday, highlighted by Ashman's new school record. 

Ashman turned in a program record time of 1:50.49, placing fourth in his heat and ninth overall. Earlier in the day, Jaydon Steidinger also recorded a new personal best in the 800m with a time of 1:54.11, placing second in his heat. Freshman Liam Lilly notched a personal best time of 1:55.82, taking nearly a full second off his previous best, and Jay Pillai spun a time of 1:57.82. 

The 5,000m group opened with four Jaguars making their indoor debuts in the event. Freshman Caleb Webb ran 15:04.40 and TJ Gorman ran 15:25.04. True freshman Michael Zegarski closed at 15:26.59 and Alec Hueftle crossed at 15:26.59. 

The seed times and finishes got better as the day wore on as freshman Eli Oetken ran a personal best time of 14:56.63 in his heat. Later in the evening, Joey LaPatra just missed a new PR with a time of 14:53.87 and Sam Grimes ran 15:03.37. 

In the mile, freshman Evan Farmer continued to shed time with a personal best time of 4:20.61, taking three seconds off his previous best. The Jaguars put down impressive efforts in the 3,000m event as junior Luke Shappell ran 8:09.39, missing the school record by three seconds and breaking his previous best by six seconds. Sophomore Riley Nixon finished at 8:17.59 in his indoor debut in the 3K. 

Meanwhile in Indy, Nolan King paced three entries in the 3,000m event with a time of 8:42.50, shedding three seconds off his previous best. Freshman Zach Risner popped an impressive PR with a time of 8:43.44, dropping 18 seconds off his previous best. Carter Schorr rounded out the entries with a time of 9:18.30. 

The Jaguars will return to action on Saturday with four racers scheduled for GVSU and three running in Indy.