APPLETON, Wis. – Cornell senior Gabe Soda won the 1500-meter run for his first career individual gold and junior Isaac vanWestrienen coasted to victory in the 10000, highlighting Cornell's strong opening day at the Midwest Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships Friday at Whiting Field.
 
The Rams, who also received a record-breaking effort from Hadley Beaty in the long jump, stand third in the team race with 42 points through six scored events. Ripon is the Day 1 leader with 49 points, followed by Monmouth with 45.
 
Saturday's action begins at 10:30 a.m.
 
Soda led the final three laps of the 1500, claiming the elusive title in a season-best 3:55.23. VanWestrienen was just a touch behind in second place, crossing in 3:55.40.
 
Soda earned a spot at the top of the podium after six previous runner-up finishes in individual events. He's now a 10-time all-MWC honoree.
 
Only 40 minutes prior to the 1500, vanWestrienen completed his decisive victory in the 10000, which he led for the final eight laps. VanWestrienen was clocked in 32:05.58 and collected his sixth MWC title on the track.
 
VanWestrienen was among three Cornell point scorers in the 10000. Jaxon Barnes took sixth (33:27.99) and Tyler Bilskie eighth (33:42.42).
 
Beaty broke the school record in the long jump, placing third with an impressive leap of 23 feet, 2.75 inches. He took down the previous standard of 23-0.75, set by Hall of Famer Matt Ditch in 2004.
 
The Rams picked up a fifth-place finish from Niko Platre in the javelin (148-4).
 
Cornell qualified six individuals for Saturday's finals. Beaty ran the second-fastest prelims time in the 200 (21.58) and qualified sixth in the 100 (10.85).
 
Freshman Chase Staker posted the top prelims mark in the 400 (48.70), while Jensen Meeker also advanced with the sixth-best time (49.13). Wallace Schmotzer (57.70) and Austin Wilkins (57.92) qualified fourth and sixth, respectively, in the 400 hurdles.