Roberts Wesleyan

By Connor Beagle

This past weekend saw Roberts Wesleyan University Senior Zachary Hall defend his East Coast Conference title in the 5000 meter run with a time of 15:54.00. Hall would go on to earn 1st-Team All-Conference honors in the 5000 meter run, and 2nd-Team All-Conference honors for his 4th place finish in the 3000 meter run. 

Despite battling injuries earlier in the season Hall was prepared to take on any challenge he needed to for his team who ended up placing 2nd overall at the conference championships. Prior to the East Coast Conference Indoor Championships in Staten Island, New York Hall had only raced three times throughout the indoor season, following a successful final cross-country season, in which he won the East Coast Conference Championships. Hall opened his season at Grand Valley State University with a sub 15 min 5000 meter run (14:59.41) before heading into the holiday break.

It wouldn’t be until January 30 until Hall would return to action for the Redhawks. At the RIT Thursday Invitational Hall would win the mile with a time of 4:36.21. The following week Hall would race at the Brockport Multi Invitational and take 7th in the mile, running 4:29.87 in preparation for a busy weekend at the Ocean Breeze Complex where the indoor conference championships would be held.

Last season Hall won the 5000 meter run and placed 2nd in the 3000 meter run at the indoor conference championships. Hall also won the 5000 meter run and placed 2nd in the 1500 meter run during the outdoor season.

With the goal of winning a team conference title this indoor season, Hall’s speed would be needed on the track for the Redhawks. Hall would follow behind John Ray of Queens College (NY) for most of the 5000 meter run, before overtaking him in the final 100 meter of the race to defend his title and earn 10 points for the Redhawks. 

Next up for Hall was the 3000 meter run, where again he would finish ahead of John Ray of Queens College (N.Y.) and behind fellow Redhawks Trevor Heitkamp (2nd place) and Owen White who would end up winning the event. Despite Hall’s 14 points, the Redhawks would finish 2nd overall behind Holy Family University.

Hall will look to take his successful Senior season into the outdoor season and hope to lead his team to a third straight outdoor conference title. Hall and his co-stars on the Redhawks distance squad have managed to be nationally ranked in the top 25 of the 5000 meter run event squad rankings that USTFCCCA puts out each week, coming in at the #25 spot this past week. 

This season the Redhawks have been ranked as high as 14th in the 5000 meter event squad rankings. Hall has also been recognized this season by the East Coast Conference, being named to the ECC Honor Roll earlier in the season.

Hall and the Redhawks will look to finish out their season at Houghton University on February 22 and Boston University on March 2 before the NCAA DII Indoor Championships in mid March.

By Connor Beagle

Women’s Triathlon is an “emerging sport” at the NCAA level. When Alexander Central School alum Jadyn Mullen transferred to Roberts Wesleyan University this past fall, she wanted to give Triathlon a go in hopes of using it as a way to cross train for the upcoming track and field season. 

This past weekend Mullen capped off her successful rookie season as a member of the Redhawks triathlon team with a 43rd place finish at the NCAA DII National Championships, helping lead the Redhawks to a 10th place team finish in their second season as a program.

Mullen had a phenomenal first season with the team, coming in already having a background in running as a cross country and track and field athlete, as well as swimming, three sports she competed in at Alexander Central. All Mullen needed to perfect was her biking.

In her first ever Triathlon event Mullen placed 9th overall, leading her team to a 3rd place finish at the Patriot Sprint in Williamsburg, Virgina. Heading into the second week of the season, Mullen had fallen ill, so she did not compete at the Duquesne University Invitational.

However, Mullen would return the following week and travel with the team to Richmond, Virginia for the Robious Landing Triathlon. Hurricane damage in Virginia eliminated the swim portion of the event, making it a duathlon. Mullen again would lead the way for the Redhawks, finishing 37th overall, helping the Redhawks finish 9th overall as a team and 3rd out of Division II competitors.

Next on the schedule for Mullen and the Redhawks was the NCAA East Region Qualifier in Wake Forest, North Carolina. The Redhawks finished 5th among the Division II teams and 14th overall, with Mullen coming in at 24th overall, which helped secure her spot in the NCAA DII National Championships. 

At the NCAA DII National Championships in Clermont, Florida this past weekend, along with three of her teammates Mullen finished 43rd, fellow Redhawks Joane Arzalluz Garzon, Jenna Maendel, and Paige Kern each finished 53rd, 61st, and 65th out of 69 total Division II competitors.

Last season the Redhawks sent Avon High School Alum Brett VanBoden to Nationals, where she placed 145th overall. This season saw much more success for the Redhawks who managed to place within the top 10 of Division II as a team.

Mullen hopes to continue to grow stronger as a triathlete heading into the 2025 season and help make an impact on the track and field team this season for the Redhawks. Mullen opens up the indoor track and field season at the Mike Kowal Multi Meet at Edinboro University on Dec 7-8.