Track teams win multiple titles at Gopher Classic

The SJU track and field team showcased their talent last weekend at the Division I Minnesota Gopher Classic held at the University of Minnesota.

Among the standout Johnnie performances were those of senior Kevin Arthur, who shattered the school record in the 60-meter dash, and junior Zach Schaffer, who secured a second-place finish in the long jump.

Arthur left a mark on the track as he blazed through the 60-meter dash with a school record-breaking time of 6.79 seconds, falling just short of the Gophers’ Devin Augustine, who clocked in at 6.67 seconds.

This not only shattered the previous school record of 6.91 seconds (set by Ryan Miller ‘21 in 2020 and matched by Arthur in 2022) but also solidified Arthur’s position as one of the top sprinters in NCAA Division III this indoor season.

Despite narrowly missing the record in a previous meet with a time of 6.92 seconds, Arthur’s determination and perseverance propelled him to success, culminating in a victory in the 200-meter dash later that day.

“Breaking the 60-meter school record was a relieving feeling. Since I began taking track serious about three or four years ago, I have always had my eyes on that record as well as every other sprints indoor & outdoor record,” Arthur said. “I knew I had ran fast as I executed my race plan. When my time (6.79 seconds) popped up on the screen, my instant reaction was to scream out loud as I felt all the work I put in since the summer began to show. I ran over to my teammates who have been a great support system throughout this journey and finally jumped into my Coach’s (Jeremy Karger-Gatzow) arms as he has been the guy behind all my success in the sport.”

Arthur attributes his success in the sport to multiple important figures in his life.

“First, my belief in God and understanding what being patient means in whatever I do contributed to my success. My coaches also played a major role to my success—from analyzing my block starts videos to setting up and timing my 30-meter trials to developing my training and giving me honest and constant feedback.”

Junior Zach Schaffer secured a second-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 6.90 meters.

As the top Division III competitor in the event, Schaffer’s performance contributed valuable points to the team’s overall success and highlighted him as a formidable contender in field events.

“I felt pretty good about my performance last weekend. Being in my second year ever in track and field, there still is a lot I can learn and improve on, but overall, I felt I hit a good mark,” Schaffer said. “I prepared for the competition by trusting my coach Joe Vardas. He is always giving me advice and pushing me to improve. Also, my teammates are very supportive, and I’d like to credit them because they’ve helped me reach where I am now.”

Schaffer also noted the role his preparation for the meet played in his success, highlighting an approach of relaxation and maintaining a calm mindset before competition.

“Relaxing before the competition is something I’ve started to do also, which helps when jumping,” Schaffer said. “Leading up to the competition and especially in finals, I felt calm and relaxed. If you don’t keep a cool head, it can really mess with your performance, and you have to just shut your brain off and trust your coach and yourself.”

Schaffer said the most challenging part of the event is the mental game.

“Whether it’s the landing, how you float in the air and how you take off, there are so many details that can constantly be improved,” Schaffer said.

Senior Joe Charbonneau, who represented St. John’s at nationals last year in indoor pole vault, received a sixth-place finish in the event, clearing a height of 4.56 meters.

The Johnnies’ success continued with a total of 14 top-eight finishes recorded throughout the meet.

Senior Tommy Allen and sophomore Owen Montreuil led the charge in the 600-meters, securing a 1-2 finish with times of 1:24.00 and 1:24.09, respectively.

First-year Vincent Kaluza showcased his potential in the 3,000-meters, securing second place with a time of 8:52.37.

The Johnnies’ relay teams also made their mark on the competition, with the 4×400-meter relay team (Wyatt Witschen, Montreuil, Cooper Smith and Tommy Allen) finishing third overall and first among Division III teams with a time of 3:27.27.

With the momentum from the Minnesota Classic, the Johnnies are poised to continue their success as they return home to host an invitational at the Donald McNeely Spectrum this Saturday.