Posted: Feb 07, 2025

SSU men's indoor track's distance medley relay group sets school record, hits NAIA National 'B' Standard; K. Lanoy wins 5,000 meter run on Day 1 of Jud Logan Light Giver Meet

ASHLAND, Ohio -- Shawnee State's distance running history is as good as one could hope to find among any track and field program in the country.

SSU Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Conner Flynn and his staff are only building on that pristine reputation.

The men's and women's indoor track and field programs took part in what was a terrific first day of competition at the Fourth Annual Jud Logan Light Giver Meet at Ashland University -- as the distance medley relay quartet of Isaiah Lanoy, Dylan French, Trevor Lanoy and Cody Hesler set a new school record and posted a NAIA National 'B' Standard with a blistering fast 10:07.57 to finish an impressive sixth place in a field loaded with stout NAIA, NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III competition to headline a collectively strong day from top to bottom for all who competed Friday evening.

In running their 10:07.57 in the DMR, French, Hesler, Isaiah Lanoy and Trevor Lanoy clicked off a time that was not only well above the NAIA National 'B' Standard cutoff time of 10:14, but came within 1.57 seconds of a NAIA National 'A' Standard mark as well. The standout quartet not only bettered both Rio Grande distance medley relay teams in the field, but bettered both Wright State distance medley relay units as well.

Overall, only Oklahoma City, Marian (Ind.), Indiana Wesleyan, Spring Arbor (Mich.) and St. Mary's (Kan.) have put together a faster DMR time during the 2025 indoor track and field season than Shawnee State's DMR unit did on Friday.

"The DMR had a phenomenal performance -- breaking an impressive school record, and nearly hitting the NAIA 'A' Standard is a great day," Flynn said. "We still feel that we can improve upon that and compete with the best, so we are looking forward to nationals."

Behind the quartet, Kaiden Lanoy made Friday's efforts a complete day for the triplets -- as Lanoy not only won the 5,000 meter run race at the Jud Logan Light Giver Meet but dominated the proceedings in doing so. Kaiden, who ran a 15:00.33 to set a personal best from a track standpoint, finished less than seven seconds back of the event record time of 14:53.56 set by John Carroll's Tommy Naiman in 2023. No other runner ran better than a 15:12.18 -- as Lanoy won by nearly 12 full seconds to cap a terrific outing for each of the Lanoy triplets.

"Kaiden Lanoy had a great day," Flynn said. "He took over the race and ran away with it over the last 2,000 meters. It was great to see the strength he ran with, and we know that he has more in the tank."

From a field standpoint, Luke Rader's performances have become expected at this point -- as the sophomore jumper put together a triple jump of 44 feet, three-and-a-quarter-inches to set a personal best and increase his own school record in the event. Rader's second place showing of 25 triple jumpers was second only to Tiffin's Myles Sams, who broke the Jud Logan Meet record with his triple jump.

"Luke continues to impress as he furthers his RSC lead heading into the conference meet," Flynn said.

Along with the aforementioned, Matthew Rauch posted 2,187 points on the opening day of the Jud Logan Light Giver Men's Heptathlon, putting Rauch in 19th with two events remaining to complete the heptathlon. Rauch finished eighth in the high jump (five feet, 10-and-a-half inches), 17th in the shot put (30 feet, nine-and-three quarters inches), 20th in the long jump (18 feet, six-and-a-half inches) and 23rd in the 60 meter dash (7.84). The Washington County product will compete in the 60 meter hurdles and the pole vault Saturday to compete the grueling six-event heptathlon meal course.

Additional

Shawnee State's remaining performances are as follows:

Women's weight throw: Jaina Bailey (45th, 41 feet, 10-and-three-quarters inches), Faith Kuhn (64th, 38 feet, two-and-three-quarters inches), Alexis Sudderth (84th, 30 feet), Tashawna Young (86th, 28 feet, nine-and-a-quarter inches), Olivia Newman (87th, 28 feet, seven-and-three-quarters inches)

Men's 200 meter dash: Garrett McKinniss (77th, 23.52), Davin Heckard (95th, 24.09), Braxton Noble (96th, 24.24), Cameron Cannon (109th, 25.03)

Men's 5,000 meter run: Garrett Carver (59th, 17:17.40), Walker Pannell (61st, 17:21.23)

The Bears will be back in action Saturday morning at 9:20 a.m. for the second day of the Jud Logan Light Giver Meet, and will be in action throughout the day as 40 different athletes will be competing in events over the course of Saturday's festivities.