MOUNT VERNON – Chase Staker and Jensen Meeker charged down the homestretch literally shoulder-to-shoulder for the final 60 meters of the men's 400 Saturday afternoon at the Midwest Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
 
It was still too close to call when the Cornell teammates leaned across the finish line. The scoreboard revealed Staker 49.41, Meeker 49.43.   
 
The 1-2 photo finish was among six all-conference performances on Day 2 for the Rams, who took runner-up in the nine-team field with 127 points. Illinois College totaled 155 points over the two days to claim the team crown at Van Metre Field at Ash Park.
 
Staker became Cornell's first conference champion in the outdoor 400 since Dan McHugh (2002, Iowa Conference). He and Meeker left Saturday's third-place finisher a distant 1.72 seconds behind.  
 
Senior Isaac vanWestrienen left his mark on the Championships by winning the 5000 for his third gold medal in as many tries this weekend. He was deservedly named Most Outstanding Men's Track Performer for the second year in a row.
 
VanWestrienen, who claimed victories in the 10000 and 1500 on Friday, established a new MWC Championships and facility record in Saturday's 5000 with a time of 14:21.43. It was his 12th career conference title on the track.
 
Sophomore Ike Claussen-Tubbs captured his first MWC title in the high jump, clearing a personal-best height of 6 feet, 5 inches. He was runner-up at 2026 indoor and 2025 outdoors.
 
Jake Bach ran a strong second in the 5000. He was clocked under the facility record in 14:42.43.
 
Freshman Dylan Adam also earned a spot on the all-conference podium, taking third in the 400 hurdles (57.51). Teammates Blaine Dohrmann (57.78) and Austin Wilkins (58.94) were fourth and sixth, respectively.
 
The Rams fielded three point-scorers in the 200 with Meeker fourth (21.83), Hadley Beaty fifth (21.97) and Staker sixth (22.06). Cornell had three finalists in the 100 with Beaty fifth (10.83), Dalles Hernandez sixth (10.83) and Zavion Jordan eighth (10.90).
 
Jamie Briggs placed fourth in the 800 (1:55.97) and also ran on the fourth-place 4x400 relay (3:27.82) that included Dohrmann, Caleb Long and Johnny Nguyen.
 
Easton Mai finished seventh in the 3000 steeplechase (10:23.56). Jaxin McGuire was eighth in the 400 (1:01.47).
 
Coming up – The Rams will send select athletes to the Augustana Last Chance Qualifier Thursday in Rock Island, Ill.