Rock Island, Ill. - The Loras College men's and women's track and field teams competed in the Meet of Champions on Friday and Saturday, hosted by Augustana College. Coming into this weekend, the women held the No. 3 spot in the most recent United States Track & Field and Cross Country Ccoaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Ratings Index, while the men are sitting 15th.
 
Holden Murphy got things started for the Duhawks Friday with a season best and event win in the discus with a big toss of 52.14 meters. Murphy later went on to claim the hammer throw with a new personal-best mark of 59.06 meters, which stands 10th in all of Division III. With the two wins, Murphy score 35 points for the men's team. 

Over on the track, Joe Franke and Ryan Harvey went two-three in the 800-meter race. Franke finished with a time of 1:53.91, while Harvery closed out the race with a time of 1:53.93, earning the team 15 points. 
 
On the women's side Emma Seipel earned the Duhawks one event win in long jump, leaping 5.73 meters. Sara Hoskins and Julia Klein earned 15 points for the Purple and Gold in the high jump, as the pair took second and third, respectively. Hoskins claimed her second place finish with a jump of 1.68 meters, while Klein finished with a jump of 1.62 meters, which is a personal best for the sophomore out of Burlington, Wis.

Caitlyn Cox had an outstanding performance in the cold weather in the hammer throw, as she threw a big season best toss at 51.49 meters. The mark currently ranks 24th in Division III. 
 
Overall, the women finished the meet third out of 24 competing teams with 100 total team points, followed by the men who finished fourth. 
 
Up next, the men and women will shift focus and prepare for a big weekend with select athletes competing at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, while others will compete at the Drake Alternative meet at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.