WHITEWATER, Wis. – Sophomore Ryan Thornton (Bartonville Limestone HS, Mapleton, Ill.) was the lone winner for the Vikings at the Squig Converse Invitational on Friday, January 25 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Thornton soared over 6' 6 ¾" to win the high jump with his best performance of the young 2019 men's indoor track & field season.
 
Augustana placed seventh in the team standings in the 12 team event which was held on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Wisconsin-LaCrosse won the meet with 135 points while the host Warhawks placed second with 102.5 and Wisconsin-Stevens Point took third with 69. North Central was fourth with 61 and Chicago placed fifth with 60. Benedictine finished just in front of the Vikings with 32 points in sixth place while first year head coach Jake Shaver's crew had 30.5 points in seventh place. Beloit (17), Monmouth (16), St. Norbert (15), Wisconsin-Platteville (13) and Ripon (9) rounded out the field.
 
Junior Josh Mathis (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) took third in the shot put with a toss of 50' 9 ¼" and senior Michael Johnson (Owensboro HS, Owensboro, Ky.) was third in the 60 in :07.05.
 
Senior Cody Wheeler (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) tossed the weight 57' 11" and took fourth and junior Justin Verlinden (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) was fourth in the mile with a time of 4:34.34. Senior VanderHeyden (Mercer County HS, Aledo, Ill.) placed fifth in the pole vault with a clearance of 14' 2 ½".
 
Senior Brandon Wilkerson (Tri-Point HS, Stelle, Ill.) finished seventh in the 3000 in 8:40.56 and junior Nick Harvey (Burlington Central HS, Elgin, Ill.) took eighth in the 800 with a clocking of 1:58.71.
 
Augustana will be back in action on Saturday, February 2 at the Olivet Nazarene Invitational in Bourbonnais, Illinois.