PITTSBURG, Kan. – Decano Cronin earned the first FHSU automatic mark and multiple other Tigers captured conference titles in numerous events as the MIAA Indoor Championships was completed over the weekend. The past three days, the Fort Hays State men’s track and field team has been competing at Pittsburg State for the 2018 installment of the conference championships.

Cronin captured the biggest mark throughout the meet as he claimed the 800-meters with a time of 1:49.95. This time not only gave him an automatic mark in Division II, but also set FHSU and meet records. Cronin was also a member of the men’s 4×400 relay which also set a new FHSU record and earned a provisional after coming in fifth place with a time of 3:16.6. Jacob Schumacher, Brett Meyer and Malcom Gardner were the other members of that squad. Oscar Carmona, Meyer, Gardner and Israel Barco also set a new meet record in the distance medley relay with their first place finishing time of 10:01.

Meyer took the men’s mile conference championship with his finishing mark of 4:13 to give him All-Conference honors. Kyle Comstock, who placed third in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.2, and Kolt Newell with his second place mark of 6 feet, 9 inches were the other Tiger All-MIAA earners. Both Comstock and Newell earned provisional marks.

Other notable finishes throughout the meet include sixth place finishes from Malcom Gardner in the 200-meters (21.87), and Matthew Pieper in the heptathlon 4,914 points). Pieper’s point total was good enough for a provisional. Jake Morrow, one the nation’s top pole vaulters, finished tied for fifth in the event with a height of 16 feet, 3 ½ inches. Sam Dreiling placed ninth in the pole vault at 15 feet, 5 ¾ inches. Both Dreiling and Morrow earned another provisional.

Carmona also earned a seventh place finish in the mile, crossing the line at 4:19. Coming in eighth place in the heptathlon was Derek Bixenman with 4,849 points, good enough for a Division II provisional.

The Tigers ended the meet with 59.50 total team points to finish in sixth place. Pittsburg State claimed the team title for the second-straight season with 141 points.

Final Team Standings
1. Pittsburg State – 141
2. Emporia State – 93
3. Central Missouri – 85.5
4. Lincoln (Mo.) – 81
4. Missouri Southern – 81
6. Fort Hays State – 59.5
7. Nebraska-Kearney – 39.5
8. Washburn – 38
9. NW Missouri State – 33
10. Lindenwood – 27.5
11. Southwest Baptist – 15
12. Missouri Western – 7