LISLE, IL—Over the weekend, the first entries were received for the 2016 U.S. Army Midwest Distance Classic on June 11 in the boys 2000 meter steeplechase, 800 meters, and freshman boys 1600 meters.

Mundelein HS freshmen Robert St. Clair and Michael Parduhn have entered the freshman boys 1600 meters race with entry marks of 4:41.00 and 4:37.10, as has Parker Huhn, a freshman at Pleasant Valley HS in Bettendorf, Iowa who has run 4:40.40 this season.

Derek Gross, a senior at Neenah HS (WI), currently leads the boys 800m seeding list at 1:55.01, and has also run a 4:25.06 mile this season.  Austin Shepard, a senior Hanover-Horton HS (MI), placed third at the 2015 Michigan D-3 state championships in 1:56.95 and is undefeated this season after winning his state regional title last weekend.

Three outstanding runners have joined the 3200m field:  Ryan Murphy, a Linn-Marr HS (IA) junior who won the prestigious Drake Relays title in 9:22.91; Robert Wagner, a senior from Pewaukee HS (WI) who ran a solid 9:19.11 in April and, in May, a 4:13.27 1600m; and Joshua Klein, a senior from Millard West HS in Omaha, Nebraska who has run 9:32.46 this year.

On the girls’ side, Geneva senior Molly McQueeny has joined the 800m field.  McQueeny ran 2:19.23—eleven seconds better than her 2015 800m best—en’ route to an upset win at the Upstate Eight Conference Championships, and led-off the Vikings’ 4x800m relay team that placed fourth at the Illinois State Championships last weekend.

CONTACT:

Skip Stolley

Meet Director, U.S. Army Midwest Distance Classic

Chairman, Chicago Area Track & Field Organizing Committee, Inc.

[email protected]   310-200-5527  www.midwestdistanceclassic.com

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The U.S. Army Midwest Distance Classic is a post-season track meet for high school distance runners.  Its 2016 edition will be held at the world-class track & field facility at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL, on Saturday evening, June 11, with a 7:00pm starting time and a $5.00 spectator admission fee.  Since its inception in 2005 as the "Midwest Distance Gala", this premier post-season competition has attracted 150-200 of the best boys and girls distance runners from throughout the Midwest.

After not being held in 2014, the Chicago Area Track & Field Organizing Committee (an Illinois non-profit corporation) took over the event with our small army of local coaches and running enthusiasts determined to expand the meet and secure its future.  Last year's meet featured 186 athletes from 14 states and its 8 races for boys and girls produced 24 of the top marks in the nation in those events.  Winning times for the boys & girls 800, 1600, 3200m and 2000m steeplechase races in 2015 were 1:49.73/2:13.42, 4:09.85/4:44.79, 8:56.06/11:02.62, and 6:01.79/7:22.53.