The Middlebury men's indoor track and field team was led by school record performances from Marco Motroni and Caleb Smith this weekend. The Panthers finished in a two-way tie for ninth place out of 27 teams, accumulating 30 points. Massachusetts Institute of Technology captured the title with 154 points, followed by Tufts (106.5 points) and Amherst (83 points). 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• In the two-day heptathlon, Smith broke the school mark with 4,599 points to earn runner-up honors. The Panther won the 60-meter dash (7.22 seconds) and the high jump (1.91m), to erase the previous school record of 4,360 points that was set in 2023. 
• Motroni re-wrote his own school record in the 60 dash by 0.05 seconds, crossing the finish line with a blistering time of 6.90 to place third overall. Motroni also finished in 19th place in the 200 (22.62). 
• The distance medley relay quartet of Zach Utz, Raymond Pavlik, Lachlan Bishop, and Owen Johnson earned silver, clocking in at 10:10.42. Utz also placed 10th in the 1,000 with a clocking of 2:33.51.
• Dave Filias finished in fourth place in the weight throw, launching the implement 17.28m. 
• In the pole vault, Henry Ericson led the way with an eight-place height of 4.54m, while Joel Kofman was 13th (4.39m). 
• Finishing in the top-10 spots in the 400 was Xander Swann, stopping the clock in 49.98 seconds to place ninth. The Panther went sub-50 seconds for the first time in his career. 
• The 4x800 relay squad composed of Peter Burke, Charles Kessler, Pavlik and Owen Johnson finished in ninth place with a time of 7:59.78.
• Sam Opawuyi finished in 13th place in the triple jump, registering a mark of 13.08m. 
• A trio of Panthers placed in the top-20 spots in the 60-meter hurdles. Aiden Tam (8.65), Jefferson Hill (8.71) and Parker Loupessis (8.77) finished in 14th, 16th and 19th, respectively.
• Dan Urchuk placed 16th in the shot put with a heave of 13.14m, while Filias was one spot back in 17th (12.91m). 
• Cracking the top-20 in the 3,000 was Benjamin Hughes, placing 17th with a clocking of 8:37.27.

NOTES

• Individuals who place in the top-five spots, and relays who finish in the top-three places earn United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honors. 

Select Panthers head back to The TRACK At New Balance on Friday for the Open New England Championship, which will feature competitors from all three NCAA divisions.