DAVENPORT, Iowa – The Loras College men's track and field team opened the 2026 season with a strong showing Saturday at the Bumble Rumble, hosted by St. Ambrose University. 

The Duhawks controlled the throwing events behind DreAnthony Jackson, who captured the shot put title with a season-best mark of 17.09 meters, a throw that currently ranks third in Division III. Eli Pflipsen added to the success with a runner-up finish and a personal-best throw of 16.62 meters, placing him ninth nationally and tying him for third in program history. Jackson also added a third-place finish in the weight throw with a mark of 17.37 meters.

In the field events, Ahmari Meeks-Miller led the way in the triple jump, winning the event with a personal-best leap of 13.76 meters to move into eighth on Loras' all-time list. Teammate Tre'jon Igess followed closely behind, finishing second with a jump of 13.63 meters. Ian Lucas contributed a second-place finish in the pole vault, tying his indoor personal best after clearing 4.15 meters.

Loras carried its momentum onto the track, beginning with Sam Horman's victory in the 800 meters. Horman clocked a career-best time of 1:57.73, breaking the two-minute barrier for the first time. The Duhawks also claimed the 4x400-meter relay title, as the quartet of Ian Fagan, Zeke Irving, Casey Tath and Isaac Oster crossed the line in 3:25.44.

Distance events proved equally successful for the Purple and Gold. Isaac Bourne and Eric Rutherford finished first and second in the 3,000 meters, with Bourne closing the final 1,400 meters at a 4:32 pace and Rutherford following at 4:36. The duo later returned in the mile, where Rutherford posted a nine-second personal best of 4:17.88 to finish second, while Bourne followed closely in third with a five-second personal best of 4:17.95.

Additional strong finishes came from Brayden Frey, who placed second in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:38.02, and Fagan, who ran 50.21 seconds in the 400 meters, finishing just 0.01 off his lifetime best.

Up Next: Loras heads to Monmouth, Ill., on Saturday, Jan. 24, to compete in the Fighting Scots Invite hosted by Monmouth College.

Meet Report
60 M – 5. Tath, 7.12
1 Mile  – 2. Rutherford, 4:17.88 | 3. Bourne, 4:17.95 | 5. Jack Beehler, 4:25.23 | 6. Aiden Ruiz, 4:27.29 | 7. Cameron Gotto, 4:27.43 | 8. Colby Cryer, 4:29.18 | 10. Max Lowe, 4:35.56 | 11. Frey, 4:35.86 | 12. Vince Frederiksen, 4:39.56 | 14. Lucas Arnold, 4:44.46 | 17. Jack Ruswick, 4:50.64 | 20. Benjamin Ritter, 4:53.72 | 25. Ethan Stasch, 5:13.87
400 M – 2. Fagan, 50.21
3000 M – 1. Bourne, 8:47.85 | 2. Rutherford, 8:53.05 | 7. Cryer, 9:09.66 | 8.  Beehler, 9:10.04
800 M – 1. Horman, 1:57.73 | 5. Gavin Denholm, 2:03.35 | 6. Liam Lentz, 2:04.95
600 M – 10. Arnold, 1:29.53 | 11. Ruiz, 1:29.73 | 12. Frederiksen, 1:30.50
200 M – 6. Zeke Irving, 23.41 | 16. Oster, 23.95 | 17. Louis Zeitler, 23.96 | 18. Blake Fitzgerrel, 24.08 | 32. Jonah Irving, 24.96
1000 M – 2. Frey, 2:38.02
4x400 M Relay – 1. Fagan, Z. Irving, Tath, Oster, 3:25.44 | 7. Frederiksen, Ruswick, Ruiz, Arnold, 3:42.22 | 8. Zeitler, Meeks-Miller, Thielhelm, J. Irving, 3:46.12 | 11. Denholm, Gotto, Horman, Lentz, 3:54.70
Weight Throw – 3. Jackson, 17.37m | 4. Pflipsen, 16.93m | 8. Carter Allen, 16.16m | 12. Nick Pierro, 14.33m
Shot Put – 1. Jackson, 17.09m | 2. Pflipsen, 16.62m | 7. Pierro, 14.07m
Long Jump – 9. Daken Pessman, 6.38m | 17. Meeks-Miller, 6.07m
Triple Jump – 1. Meeks-Miller, 13.76m | 2. Igess, 13.63m
High Jump – 4. Edwards, 1.84m
Pole Vault – 2. Lucas, 4.15m | 7. Paul Rasp, 3.40m