Perkins and Switzer Dominate in 3,000 Meter Steeplechase

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – DC's Kaitlin Switzer and Justin Perkins each posted personal-records in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Dr. Keeler Invitational on Friday. Both runners extended their leads as the fastest steeplechase runners in school history, and secured their number-one rankings in the HCAC standings.   

Switzer's time of 11:37.78 was nearly seven seconds faster than her previous personal-best, and gives her an 18-second cushion over the rest of the field in the conference. Perkins crossed the line in 9:22.67 to improve his personal-record by 12 seconds, and provisionally qualify for the NCAA Div. III Championships.

Two weeks after winning the conference crown in the 800 meter run, Seth Bidlack set a new personal-record in the event with a time of 1:57.28. The performance moves Bidlack into fourth place on DC's top-ten performances list.

DC's Aaron Demecs and Austin Trivett also made the trip to Illinois. Demecs finished just two one-hundredths of a second off of his personal-record in the 400 meter dash, crossing the line in 49.53. Trivett claimed ninth place at the meet in the pole vault with a clearance of 14-08.00 feet, and cleared 6-01.25 in the high jump.

The Yellow Jackets will return to Naperville, Ill., on Tuesday, May 18, to participate in the Gregory Multi-Event. The two-day event is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.