The Monmouth College Track and Field men’s team won the Midwest Conference Outdoor Championship on Saturday while the women finished third. The Fighting Scots coaching staff was named Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year while Maddie Boley (Beecher, Illinois) won her second straight Women’s Field Performer of the Year award and Janius Taylor (Lakeland, Florida) was the Men’s Newcomer of the Year.
“Our men overcame some adversity in different spots throughout the weekend but they really stepped up in different events to keep us close,” said head coach Brian Woodard. “Both programs really stuck together and supported each other and I think that’s what pushed the men’s team over the edge at the end.”
This is the men’s 32nd outdoor title and 20th since 2001. It is also the first full MWC title since 2019 though the Scots won the South Division title at home in the COVID-impacted 2021 season. The men won the outdoor title every year from 2001-19 except for one under coach Roger Haynes, with Woodard as an assistant.
Boley picked up her ninth career outdoor championship while winning shot put for the third time. Only three women in MC history have won more than nine titles and they were all sprinters.
“Maddie capped off an amazing career with three more championships this weekend,” said Woodard. “Her performances and accomplishments pale in ccomparison to the type of person she is. She is a fantastic teammate and role model for our younger athletes. We still have the NCAAs coming up and were are excited for her success there.”
Taylor racked up points for the men in the 100, 200, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay to cap an impressive freshman campaign.
“Just a fantastic weekend for Janius,” said Woodard. “Coach Hyett has done a great job with him and his starts and Janius has grown significantly as a track athlete. He has bought into race model and that showed in the 200. He has the opportunity to have a fantastic Fighting Scots career.”
The coaching staff of Brian Woodard, Kenzie (Baker) Hyett, Tanner Johnson and Cooper Pauley was named the Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year.
“I am extremely proud of this coaching staff,” said Woodard. “They have put in some long hours over the past six months. Their planning and attention to details shows with how these athletes in both programs performed this weekend,”
MEN
Shane Anderson (Lisle, Illinois) won the hammer with a PR of 55.62m. This marks the third straight season a Monmouth thrower has won the hammer and 24th time overall. Blake Orwig (Wyoming, Illinois) finished seventh with a season-best 48.41m and Gunnar Bryant (Curryville, Missouri) took eighth at 45.33m.
In the discus, Anderson took third at 43.60m, Michael Moreno (Galesburg, Illinois) took fourth with a PR of 42.03m and Bryant finished fifth at 41.91m.. The 15 points from the final event of the day pushed the Scots to the title..
Tashawn Ruffin (Bloomington, Illinois) took second in the triple jump at 13.86m.
Eli Newton (Dallas City, Illinois) was third in the 800m in 1:56.36.
Da’Von Patterson (Ponte Vedra, Florida) took fifth in the 400m with a time of 48.91 and
Adrian Outlaw (Galesburg, Illinois) finished seventh in 49.35.
Janius Taylor (Lakeland, Florida) was fourth in the 100m race in n10.86 seconds. He also took third in the 200m in 21.33 seconds and Patterson was fourth in 21.52 as both set new PRs.
Logan Morse (Yates City, Illinois) took third in the high jump with a PR of 1.91 and Patrick Curry (Chicago, Illinois) took fourth with a PR of 1.91m. James Gustafson (Chicago, Illinois) picked up a point in eighth place with a PR of 1.76m.
Morse also finished eighth to earn a point in the 400m hurdles with a timme of 1:01.63.
The 4x100m relay team of Taylor, Johnny York (Elmwood, Illinois), Elijah Cherelus (Kissimmee, Florida) and Patterson finished third in 42.14 seconds.
The 4x400m relay team of Patterson, Newton, Taylor and Outlaw finished second by 0.6 seconds with a time of 3:20.18. The time is a season best
WOMEN
The women finished third with 131 points. Illinois College won with 139 points while Ripon had 134.5.
Boley won the shot put for a third straight season with a throw of 13.20m. THis marks the 15th time Monmouth has won the shot put. Kayla Braun (Evansville, Illinois) finished second at 12.86m with Alayna Earle (Clinton, Illinois) in fourth at 12.00m. Jillian Toth (El Paso, Illinois) earned two points in seventh place at 11.65m.
Delaney Rexroat (Monmouth, Illinois) took fifth in the triple jump at 10.15m.
Makaiha Moore-Bell (Knoxville, Illinois) was third in the 100m race in 12.42 seconds while Maddie Rusk (Annawan, Illinois) took seventh in 12.68.
Rusk was fifth in the 200m race at 25.96 seconds while Moore-Bell finished sixth in 26.16 seconds.
Natalie Gonzalez (Galesburg, Illinois) was fourth in 400m hurdles in 1:10.49. She also finished seventh in the 100m hurdles with a PR of 16.73 second and Tatum Points (Metamora, Illinois) was eighth in 18.95 seconds.
Lauren Anderson (Cambridge, Illinois) took sixth in the high jump with a season best of 1.46m.
The 4x100m relay team of Moore-Bell, Rexroat, Rusk and Gonzalez finished fourth in a season-best 50.04 seconds.
The 4x400m relay team of Moore-Bell, Rusk, Danielle Johnson (Annawan, Illinois) and Gonzalez finished eighth in 4:16.79.
NEXT UP:
Select Scots will head to the Augustana Last Chance Qualifier on Wednesday and Thursday in Rock Island, Illinois.
NCAA Division III National Rankings (as of 10:00 p.m. on 5/10/25)
4- Maddie Boley – discus – 49.06m
8 – Maddie Boley – hammer throw – 53.96m
13 – Jillian Toth – hammer throw – 53.77m
27- Maddie Boley – shot put – 13.49m
37- Tashawn Ruffin – triple jump – 14.25m
38 – Janius Taylor – 200m – 21.33
38 – Shane Anderson – hammer – 55.61m
Career Highs for outdoor meets (does not include those participating in an event for the first time)
Competitor – event – new career high (old career high)
Shane Anderson – hammer throw – 55.61m (52.26m)
Patrick Curry – high jump – 1.91m (1.88m)
Natalie Gonzalez – 100m hurdles – 16.73 (17.01)
James Gustafson – high jump – 1.76m (1.72m)
Brynn Hogan – javelin – 25.91m (25.51m)
Abbie Johnson – javelin – 27.38m (26.84m)
Danielle Johnson – 800m – 2:29.08 (2:29.69)
Michael Moreno – discus – 42.03m (38.29m)
Logan Morse – high jump – 1.91m (1.82m)
Da’Von Patterson – 200m – 21.52 (21.72)
Tatum Points – 100m hurdles – 17.58 (18.15)
Delaney Rexroat – javelin – 31.49m (29.45m)
Janius Taylor – 200m – 21.33 (21.52)
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
