GRINNELL, Iowa – Augustana senior Cody Wheeler (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) was selected as the "Most Outstanding Field Event Performer" at the Darren Young Invitational on Saturday, February 9 in Grinnell, Iowa. Wheeler won the weight toss and was one of five Vikings to win individual events as head coach Jake Shaver's crew placed third in the 12-team event.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan won the team title with 139 points and Bethel took second with 112 while Augustana had 98 points in third. Wartburg finished fourth with 74 and Simpson took fifth with 57. Central of Iowa (46), Principia (45), Buena Vista (41), Coe (15), Grinnell (13), Cornell (5) and Waldorf (1) rounded out the field.
 
Wheeler won the weight toss with a season's best toss of 59' 4 ¼" and that is less than a foot shy of Brian Benning's 2012 school record of 60' 3 ¾".
 
He was one of five winners on the day for the Blue & Gold. Senior Brandon Wilkerson (Tri-Point HS, Stelle, Ill.) won the 5000 in 15:04.57. Sophomore Ryan Thornton (Limestone Community HS, Mapleton, Ill.) cleared 6' 7 ½" to take the high jump. Senior Patrick Crompton (Hood River HS, Hood River, Ore.) won the pole vault with a height of 14' 5 ½" and his senior teammate Mark VanderHeyden (Mercer County HS, Aledo, Ill.) was second at 13' 11 ¾". Sophomore Mason Wright (Polo HS, Woosung, Ill.) took first in the triple jump with a leap of 44' 6 ¼".
 
Sophomore Joshua Teets (Burlington Central HS, Maple Park, Ill.) was second in the 800 with a time of 1:59.02 and junior Joshua Mathis (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) took second in the shot put with a toss of 49' 7 ¼".
 
Freshman Jack MacDonald (Batavia HS, Batavia, Ill.) finished third in the triple jump with a leap of 42' 7". Freshman Tyree Colbert (St. Laurence HS, Blue Island, Ill.) was fifth in the high jump (6' 3 ¼") and senior Tyler Burns (Washington HS,  Washington, Ill.) took eighth (5' 9 ¼") in the same event.
 
Junior Nick Harvey (Burlington Central HS, Elgin, Ill.) finished sixth in the 800 in 2:00.18. Senior Clayton Sommers (Saydel HS, Des Moines, Ill.) was eighth in the 60 hurdles in :09.00.
 
The distance medley relay team of Harvey, Thornton, freshman Ryan Sorenson (Barrington HS, Lake Barrington, Ill.) and sophomore Marco Alanis (Niles West HS, Morton Grove, Ill.) took fifth in 11:16.60. The 4x400 unit of freshman Ian Rothery (Wheaton North HS, Wheaton, Ill.), senior Michael Johnson (Owensboro HS, Owensboro, Ky.), Teets and Sommers place sixth in 3:33.48.
 
Augustana's next meet will be on Friday, February 15 at the Dubuque Invitational.