Distance Track Faces The Field at the Jeff Rahn Classic

4/10/2026 10:43:00 PM

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitman College distance track team turned one of its final tuneups of the season into a night of personal and season bests Friday at the Jeff Rahn Classic, hosted by Whitworth University at Boppell Track.

In the men's 5,000 meters, Jack McManus won the collegiate section in 15 minutes, 4.67 seconds to lead a dominant Whitman group at the front of the field. He was followed by Danny Steinberg, who ran a personal-best 15:40.03, and sophomore Quinny Stuart, who also notched a personal best in 15:41.65. Turner Crockett finished in 15:43.18, and Jack Rousseau ran 15:51.54 as the Blues placed five runners in the top seven.

Whitman's depth showed with Theo Lydgate (16:27.71), Paul Florence (16:40.55), Sam Emert (16:51.32), and Toren Christensen (17:16.41) all turning in solid performances. Jackson Garrison capped the group with a personal-best 17:19.23.

The women's mid-distance group put together one of its strongest collective efforts of the spring in the 800 meters. Lucia Shiffler led the way with a personal-best 2:24.80. Payton Davies followed in 2:26.25, with Lucy Luepker running a season-best 2:33.19. Allie Fredrickson finished in 2:42.11, and Rowan Bienapfl crossed in 3:11.92.

In the women's 400 meters, the Blues picked up two more personal bests. Sophomore Addyson Puri ran 1:04.27, and sophomore Kaela Eckel finished in 1:10.28.
On the women's distance side, Emme Rousseau and Lily Kamila each recorded season-best times in the 5,000. Rousseau placed 10th in 20:24.59, with Kamila close behind in 11th at 20:31.34.

Whitman closed the evening with a set of strong 4x400-meter relay performances. The men's A 4x400 relay of Duke Gordon, Micah Knight, Giles Billick and Mason Fouty placed seventh in a season-best 3:42.83. The B squad of Ben Schubach, Florence, Stuart and Crockett finished eighth in 4:01.26.

On the women's side, the A relay of Shiffler, Eckel, Fredrickson and Puri took sixth in a season-best 4:36.09. The B relay of Davies, Kamila, Rousseau and Luepker was seventh in 4:45.43, also a season best.

In the men's 800, Billick and Knight each posted personal-best times. Billick ran 2:06.96, and Knight finished in 2:08.52, while Schubach rounded out the Whitman contingent in 2:17.51.

The Blues next face the Northwest Conference field at the NWC Championship held April 25 & 26 in Spokane, Wash.

#GoWhitman

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