GALESBURG, Ill. -- Lawrence University women's track and field distance standouts Cristyn Oliver and Leah Hawksford finished 1-2 Friday in the mile to lead the Vikings on the opening of the Midwest Conference Championships at Fleming Fieldhouse.
    Oliver took the title in 5:14.09 and Hawksford was right on her heels as she finished second in 5:17.72. Both times topped the school record of 5:20.37 set by Oliver earlier this season. It was the first indoor conference title for Oliver, who won the 5,000 meters outdoors in 2021.
    The Lawrence distance runners also placed three in the top eight in the 5,000 meters. Riley Winebrenner led the contingent by running to third place in 19:01.83. Althea Foster grabbed fourth place in 19:12.55, and Rain Orsi was eighth in 20:15.65.
    Lawrence's sprint medley relay placed third as the team of Claire Paquin, Maria Jankowski, Emily Sugiyama and Lilia Bodnar posted a time of 4:32.51. The 4x200 relay squad of Sugiyama, Paquin, Jankowski and Mariana Zendejas ran to seventh in 1:56.48.
    The Lawrence women are in fourth place after the opening day with 38 points. Monmouth College holds the lead at 61.5.
    On the men's side, Adam Bruce led the way for the Vikings as he placed second in the 5,000 in 15:33.01. Teammate Billy Daniels grabbed eighth in 16:14.34.
    The other top individual finisher for the Vikings was David Benjamin, who leaped to sixth in the long jump with a distance of 21 feet, 6.25 inches.
    The men's 4x200 relay team of Benjamin, Cameron Wicks, Will Eggert, and Greyson Schneider raced to seventh in 1:36.05. The sprint medley relay squad of Benjamin, Wicks, Tyler Scott and Lance Juridico was eighth in 3:55.65.
    The competition wraps up Saturday on the campus of Knox College.