Track & Field | 12/6/2025 9:24:00 PM

Cleveland, Ohio - Namu Makatiani established a new indoor program record in the triple jump as the Oberlin College men's and women's track & field teams traveled to Cleveland this wintry Saturday for the Case Western Reserve University's Spartan Alumni Holiday Classic. 

Taking the triple jump crown, Makatiani flew to an indoor personal best of 14.55m, breaking his own indoor school record of 14.41m and beating his mark from this meet last year by nearly half a meter. The senior's jump currently ranks third in Division III.

Reflecting on the day, Makatiani adds, "The meet was amazing, it started with a lot of really great performances from all my teammates. For me, the energy from our team really helped me to perform. I am really proud of my mark this early into the season and can't wait to see what the rest of the season has to offer."

Featuring strong performances across the board, the men's team posted 16 personal bests and three conference-qualifying marks, while the women's team recorded 12 and two, respectively. 

The meet began at 10:30 a.m. with the field events, starting with the women's weight throw. First-years Adriana Winklemayer and Spencer Hekl earned debut personal bests in the event, hurling the weight 8.52m and 7.85m, respectively. 

The women's long jump was up next, with senior Anna Fritz launching to a personal best of 5.30m to place second. Fritz had two jumps over her previous personal best to start the season and secure a conference-qualifying mark. The men's long jump followed the women's, with first-year Daniel Ambar earning a debut personal best of 6.41m and qualifying for the conference championships. Classmate Ben Idinopulos built on the momentum of the long jumps, vaulting to a debut personal best of 3.20m.

The women's shot put was next up, with a trio of debut personal bests. Alira Allen (8.22m), Averi Williams (7.59m), and Winkelmayer (7.57m) were one after another in the results. Fourth-year Kit Evans started a multi-event day with the men's shot put, in which he threw a personal best of 10.71m.

The women's triple jump followed, with first-year Sarah Christie leaping to a debut personal best of 9.74m. The men's triple jump was the last of the field events, as Makatiani paved the way for a trio of indoor personal bests. First-year Micah Quinones leaped to a debut personal best of 11.80m, while third-year Dane Mentore had a lifetime personal-best jump of 13.37m to place third and qualify for the conference championship.

Returning from a successful long jump and kicking off the running events, Fritz breezed through the 60m hurdles preliminary round, crossing the line in 9.38, a personal best of 0.32 seconds, and a conference-qualifying mark. In the final, Fritz maintained her position to place fourth in 9.53, a performance that also surpasses her previous personal best.

Fritz had nothing but positive, process-oriented things to say about the day's results. "It's always exciting to see where everyone is at before the season gets into full swing," Fritz remarks. "It felt so great to see PRs in long jump and hurdles again. It was a matter of focusing on one or two things—running through the hurdles like it's a 60m dash and long jumping with a 'calm intensity'—and trusting my training for the rest of it."

In the men's 60 hurdles, first-year Simon Tang got off to a hot start with a debut personal best of 8.98, securing a spot in the final. In the final, Tang improved on his opening time by a hundredth, running 8.97 for fourth.

In the flat 60m, a trio of fourth-years had a sizzling start to the season. Euan Uliassi blitzed to a personal best of 7.33, while Andres Adam opened by matching his personal best of 7.48, and Evans stormed to a personal best of 7.71. 

Following the men's 60m, first-year Lieke Everts debuted in the mile, crossing the line in 5:46 and earning a personal best. The men's mile followed the women's, where second-year Greydan Villano lunged across the line with a personal best of 4:45.

In the men's 400m, Tang returned from his 60m hurdles campaign to run a debut personal best of 54.68.

In the women's 500m, first-year Lucia Grant ran a debut personal best of 1:27.99. Evans returned for his third event and personal best of the day, completing the men's 500 in 1:13.34.

Everts returned for the 800m an hour after the mile, running aggressively to earn a personal best of 2:39 despite the short turnaround. First-year Kai Bell-Torres led the Oberlin men's squad in the 800, ripping a 2:05 and earning a debut personal best. Classmate Simon Swai followed Bell-Torres across the line, running a personal best of 2:10.

First-year Dylan Davis ran a personal-best 28.45 in her 200m collegiate debut. Fourth-year Josh Moray debuted in the 200m, running a 24.37 and earning his personal best. He was followed by the two second-year classmates Raluchi Obioha and Miles Nance, who both launched their second indoor seasons with personal bests, running 24.52 and 24.77, respectively. 

Second-year Daniel Beyda remained engaged with his race throughout the entire 3000m and was rewarded with a new personal best of 9:28, concluding the competition for the day. 

Head Coach Ben Wach was excited by the meet's results, especially Makatiani's strong debut. "A school record at the first meet is such an unusual and rare accomplishment!" Wach continues. "It's a great representation of the effort Namu has put in all semester, and it's an emblematic performance for a day that saw breakthrough performances for so many members of this team."

The Crimson and Gold will hang up their spikes for the remainder of the 2025 year and resume action in the new year. Oberlin will return to CWRU to compete in the Spartan Icebreaker on Saturday, January 17.

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