Bartul Basic Assistant Coach (Throws) | Western Illinois University Leathernecks Website
Bartul Basic Assistant Coach (Throws) | Western Illinois University Leathernecks Website
The Western Illinois track and field teams concluded their participation in the Summit League Championships this past weekend, marking their final appearance before transitioning to the Ohio Valley Conference next season. The men's team secured a fifth-place finish overall, while the women's team finished seventh. The Leathernecks' standout performances came from the horizontal jumps, with Toriano Tate winning the long jump and Alessandro Belluz earning silver in both the long and triple jumps.
"Our team took a big step forward this weekend," said coach Trey Brokaw. "We missed a few opportunities still but we have improved so much since the indoor championships in February. For the men and women, this was easily our best team performance in the past five years. The assistant coaches did an exceptional job preparing the student-athletes to succeed."
Brokaw expressed optimism about moving into the Ohio Valley Conference next year, noting that "with virtually no graduating seniors, we should be returning a really good squad and adding a large, successful recruiting class."
Several athletes contributed to Western Illinois' success at the championship. Notable scorers included Lucas Burmeister in multiple sprint events and Richard Brown in middle-distance races. On the women's side, Nakeita Kessling excelled in jumping events alongside freshman Aylana Cezar.
"This weekend we saw a core group of men and a core group of women step up and lead this program by scoring in their individual events," Brokaw added.
The Leathernecks also honored senior leaders Lucas Hofer and Paulina Wuestefeld for their contributions on and off the track. Both athletes leave behind records at WIU as they pursue future endeavors—Wuestefeld plans to continue her education with a doctoral degree at the University of Illinois, while Hofer aims for a career in college coaching.
"Two seniors we are losing off the conference roster are Paulina Wuestefeld...and Lucas Hofer," said Brokaw. "They have been exceptional people to know and work with."
Looking ahead, Western Illinois will compete at the NCAA West Regional Championships in Sacramento from May 24-27.
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