Taking advantage of a Division I facility Friday at the Prairie Wolf Indoor Invitational, the Central College men’s and women’s track and field teams made moves up the American Rivers Conference and national performance lists.

Friday’s meet was hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan University but most events were held at the Devaney Sports Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. The meet featured a mix of Division III athletes, with some Division I and highly-rated NAIA programs.

Peyton Steffen paced the field in the women’s mile, finishing in 4 minutes, 58.75 seconds, giving her the fastest mark in Division III and making her one of just three athletes to go under five minutes. Addison Parrott was second in 5:09.33. Steffen also finished third in the 1000 meters in 2:58.57. Ava Parkins ran the fastest women’s 400 meters in the American Rivers Conference so far this season in 59.26 seconds to place third, and also took fourth in the 200 meters (26.08 seconds). Emily McMartin was third in the 200 meters (26.02 seconds) and fourth in the 400 meters (59.81 seconds). Jack Brown had a massive start to the indoor season in the 3,000 meters, taking second in 8:34.70 and cracked the national top 50 list. Kale Purcell was a runner-up finisher in the triple jump, measuring in at 46 feet, 10 inches. In the 60-meter hurdles, Olivia Bohlen dropped her season-best time to 9.14 seconds, placing third in the women’s race, while Gunner Meyer took fifth in the men’s 60-meter hurdles in 8.18 seconds.

Central’s multi-event athletes will compete at home next Thursday and Friday while most of the team will compete in the Wartburg Indoor Select next Saturday in Waverly.