Three ISU runners earned NCAA regional-qualifying times as the ISU men’s track and field team turned out several strong performances over the weekend. The throwers and distance runners were spread out around southern California participating in three different meets.

Kiel Uhl was the first to set a qualifying mark, taking first place in the 5,000-meter run at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif. The junior beat out his personal best by nearly four seconds, recording a time of 14 minutes, 8.65 seconds in his first race of the outdoor season. The time beat the regional-qualifying mark by more than three seconds.

Coming off an impressive indoor season, freshman Hillary Bor captured a regional-qualifying time with a second-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Bor was a provisional qualifier in the mile run during the indoor season. He wasted no time establishing himself outdoors, finishing in a time of 08:54.92.

Jayden Russ’s fifth-place finish in the steeplechase was good enough to earn him a qualifying time as well. The senior from Brisbane, Australia, crushed his career best he set last season, finishing in 08:58.90.

On Thursday, the throwers turned out several strong performances as the team competed at the Cal State L.A. Twilight Open in Los Angeles. Freshman Luke Pinkelman led the way for the Cyclones, capturing his second victory of the outdoor season with a first-place finish in the shot put. His heave of 58 feet, 6.75 inches beat out teammate Zac Brouillette, who finished in second with a toss of 52 feet, 11 inches.

In the discus, sophomore Robbie Utterback earned another victory for the Cyclones, throwing for a mark of 160 feet, 9 inches. Utterback came up only a few points shy of setting a regional-qualifying mark. Pinkelman added to his successful day by finishing second at 153 feet, 8 inches.

Stefan Tauber earned second place in the long jump, finishing with a score of 22 feet, 3.50 inches. At the Azusa Pacific Invitational in Azusa, Calif., on Friday, Tauber placed fifth in his section of the javelin throw, throwing 51.44 meters.

The throwers also competed at the Mt. SAC Relays, where Brouillette placed seventh in the shot put, while fellow throwers Utterback and Pinkelman finished ninth and 10th, respectively, in the discus throw.

The sprint team competed closer to home, entering several events at the Iowa Invitational in Iowa City. The 4-by-400-meter relay team took home first place, crossing the finish line in 03:17.73.

Sophomore Chris Ward was the highest individual finisher for the Cyclones, taking fourth in the 400-meter hurdles. Freshman Bart Howard also placed in the event, taking eighth place. Zach McFall had a high finish in the 1500-meter run, earning fifth in a time of 04:3.16.

The Cyclones will regroup this week as they ready themselves for the 99th annual Drake Relays this weekend. Events start on Thursday and continue through Saturday.