The Illinois College men’s track and field team secured third place at the Midwest Conference Indoor Championships held Saturday at Grinnell Fieldhouse in Grinnell, Iowa. The Blueboys concluded the event with 114.5 points, while host Grinnell took the team title with 130 points.
Melvin Hodge of Illinois College was named the 2026 Men’s Outstanding Field Performer after winning the weight throw with a distance of 18.85 meters. Teammates Deon Rodgers and Griffin Martin placed second and fourth in the same event, reaching marks of 17.71 meters and 16.43 meters respectively.
On the track, Adam Hernandez claimed first place in the 60-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 8.35 seconds. Kani Carson finished third in that race with a time of 6.935 seconds.
Hernandez and Carson teamed up with Drew Cushman and Simeon Smith to win the 4×400-meter relay, posting a time of 3:22.61.
In other field events, Jacob Kollman finished as runner-up in the triple jump by leaping 13.66 meters, while Dylan Humphrey came fourth at 12.23 meters. Camden Pierce secured fifth place in pole vault by clearing a height of 3.3 meters.
A group from Illinois College will next compete at the NCAA Last Chance Meet on Friday and Saturday in Waverly, Iowa.
Illinois College Blue Boys Men’s Track and Field operates as a college-level program within NCAA Division III guidelines under the Midwest Athletic Conference . The program supports student-athletes’ academic success alongside their athletic pursuits while encouraging both individual achievement and teamwork . The team provides opportunities for student-athletes to develop skills on and off the field .
