JOLIET, Ill. – May 9, 2025 – The Parkside Track & Field team delivered a strong showing on the opening day of the Fighting Chance Invite at Joliet Memorial Stadium, posting a slate of standout performances as athletes made their final push for NCAA Division II Championship qualification.
Headlining Friday was Doug Martin, who shattered a 52 year old school record in the 800 meters with a blistering time of 1:49.36, currently ranking 19th in the nation as of this writing. Martin's performance puts him squarely in contention for a coveted spot at nationals.
In the same event, teammate Sean Waldvogel also clocked a time of 1:52.23.
In the women's 3000-meter steeplechase, Johanna Ebert turned in a gritty performance with a time of 10:35.46, one of the top marks of her career. She sits 21st nationally as of Friday night.
On the distance side, Abbi Steiner recorded a time of 17:10.95 in the 5000 meters, while Johnathon Nowacki ran a solid 14:47.56 in the men's 5000 meters.
In the field events, Parkside showed depth in the high jump, with EJ Johnson clearing 2.08m and Simon Dominic finishing at 2.02m, finishing first and second in the event. Johnson's season best mark of 2.10m has him tied for 16th nationally, while Dominic's mark of 2.06m is 26th.
Saturday's action saw continued success in both the jumps and hurdles. In the women's long jump, Rachel Blaskowskileapt 5.80m to finish 4th overall in her flight, while Essence Burrows added an 8th-place finish with a mark of 5.49m. Burrows returned in the triple jump, delivering a strong 11.65m (38' 2.75") to take 3rd place.
On the track, Michael Hendrix turned in a stellar performance in the men's 400-meter hurdles, placing 2nd overall with a time of 52.77—an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark.
The Rangers will close out the 2025 outdoor regular season on Sunday, with a number of athletes making one final push for the NCAA Division II Championships. Sunday's event will be held in Allendale, Michigan on the campus of Grand Valley State.
Follow Parkside Track & Field on social media and visit parksiderangers.com for continued updates throughout the weekend.
