Men's Track and Field Friday, December 5, 2025 NWC Athletic Communications

Kalvelage, Van Sickle Lead Events at Wayne State Classic

WAYNE, Neb. – The Northwestern men's track and field team delivered a statement performance this weekend, posting multiple event victories and national-level marks across the sprints, jumps, and middle distances.

Sprinters set the tone early in the 60 meters, where Connor Slaba and Vance Hayenga-Johnson advanced comfortably through prelims. Slaba went on to place 4th in the final with a strong 7.03, while Hayenga-Johnson followed closely in 7th at 7.10, giving the team two top-seven finishers in the event.

The hurdles crew added another pair of top-10 performances. Freshman Kalarga Mukhtar opened with a 4th-place prelim finish in 8.71 before taking 6th in the final. Fellow freshman Jacob Berggren matched the effort with a 7th-place prelim finish and an 8th-place final time of 9.03.

One of the team's biggest highlights came in the 200 meters, where senior Braden Kalvelage stormed to victory in a blazing 21.62, a personal best and NAIA 'B' Standard mark. Freshman Collin Bliven added a top-10 finish of his own, placing 10th in 23.02.

In the quarter-mile, sophomore Michael Rodriguez continued his rise, powering to a 6th-place finish in the 400 meters with an impressive 50.03.

The middle-distance group delivered one of the team's strongest overall showings of the day. Freshman Dietrich Dirks raced to 3rd in the 600 meters with a sharp 1:24.85, while Mukhtar returned for his second top-10 of the meet, placing 10th in the same event. The 800 meters saw freshman Brady Van Sickle take control from the gun, pulling away to win in 1:59.18, with teammates Emmett Barber (6th, 2:04.54 PR) and David Poppen (9th, 2:08.51) joining him in the top 10.

Field events brought championship-level success, particularly from senior Braden Kalvelage, who completed a dominating day by winning the long jump with a massive 7.32m (24-00.25)—a Dome Record and NAIA A Standard. Sophomore Jonah Norton added a 7th-place finish in the event at 6.23m, securing valuable depth.

In the high jump, senior Coltin Vargas cleared 1.84m (6-00.50) to finish 4th, while in the pole vault juniors Lane Johnson and sophomore Zachary Mayo tied for 5th and 6th, respectively, each clearing 4.05m—a personal best for Mayo.

The throws unit produced two more top-10 finishes in the weight throw, with junior Jacob Folkerts hitting a personal-best 14.20m (46-07.25) for 8th, and sophomore Justin DeHoyos placing 9th at 13.10m. Folkerts also earned 5th in the shot put with a strong 13.90m (45-07.25).

The meet concluded with a marquee performance from the men's 4x400m relay of James Heinz, Vance Hayenga-Johnson, Aziah Ashley, and Michael Rodriguez, who raced to 2nd place in 3:21.75, setting a new Dome Record and stamping an "A" relay standard in the process.

RAIDERS IN THE TOP-10
Braden Kalvelage – 1st; 200m (21.62)
Braden Kalvelage – 1st; Long Jump (7.32m)
Brady Van Sickle – 1st; 800m (1:59.18)
Men's 4x400m Relay – 2nd; (3:21.75)
Dietrich Dirks – 3rd; 600m (1:24.85)
Connor Slaba – 4th; 60m (7.03)
Coltin Vargas – 4th; High Jump (1.84m)
Collin Bliven – 5th; 200m (23.02)
Jacob Folkerts – 5th; Shot Put (13.90m)
Lane Johnson – 5th; Pole Vault (4.05m)
Michael Rodriguez – 6th; 400m (50.03)
Emmett Barber – 6th; 800m (2:04.54)
Kalarga Mukhtar – 6th; 60m Hurdles (8.87)
Zachary Mayo – 6th; Pole Vault (4.05m)
Braden Kalvelage – 7th; Long Jump (6.23m)
Vance Hayenga-Johnson – 7th; 60m (7.10)
Jacob Berggren – 8th; 60m Hurdles (9.03)
Jacob Folkerts – 8th; Weight Throw (14.20m)
James Heinz – 9th; 60m Prelims (7.19)
David Poppen – 9th; 800m (2:08.51)
Justin DeHoyos – 9th; Weight Throw (13.10m)
Jesse Blok – 9th; Triple Jump (11.52m)
Tate Orpen – 10th; 60m Prelims (7.38)
Collin Bliven – 10th; 60m Hurdles (9.65)
Kalarga Mukhtar – 10th; 600m (1:29.37)

Up Next: Northwestern will ring in the new semester at the Dordt Indoor Open on Saturday, January 10.

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Players Mentioned

Aziah Ashley: 6' 0"; Senior

Justin DeHoyos: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Jacob Folkerts: 6' 5"; Junior

Vance Hayenga-Johnson: Junior

James Heinz: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Lane Johnson: 5' 11"; Junior

Braden Kalvelage: 6' 0"; Senior

Coltin Vargas: 6' 0"; Senior

Emmett Barber: 6' 2"; Freshman

Jacob Berggren: 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Aziah Ashley
: 6' 0"; Senior

Justin DeHoyos
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Jacob Folkerts
: 6' 5"; Junior

Vance Hayenga-Johnson
: Junior

James Heinz
: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Lane Johnson
: 5' 11"; Junior

Braden Kalvelage
: 6' 0"; Senior

Coltin Vargas
: 6' 0"; Senior

Emmett Barber
: 6' 2"; Freshman

Jacob Berggren
: 5' 10"; Freshman