Berkey, Cleveland take home weekly conference honors

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - For their performances over the weekend, Carter Berkey and Max Cleveland of Simpson men's track and field team took home weekly honors from the American Rivers Conference, as announced by the conference office on Monday.

Both Berkey and Cleveland are receiving their first career Performer of the Week honors for indoor track and field.

Berkey took home the Indoor Men's Field Performer of the Week after breaking the indoor long jump school record that had stood since 1986 at the Grinnell Invite. Berkey's mark of 7.22 meters (23 feet, 8.25 inches) easily gave him the victory in the event, being the only other competitor over seven meters. Berkey's mark also easily broke the meet record and gave him the top jump in the midwest region and fourth across all NCAA Division III competitors. Through four long jump competitions, Berkey has won three of them and finished second in the other.

Cleveland took home the Indoor Men's Track Performer of the Week. after winning the 60 meter hurdles at the Grinnell Invite. Cleveland qualified for the final in first position, running an 8.20 in the prelims, just 0.02 seconds off his career-best. In the final, Cleveland followed that up with an 8.25 to coast to his second win in the event on the season. Cleveland currently ranks third in the midwest region in the 60 meter hurdles and is tied for 10th in the nation with his career-best 8.18 set back in December.

The Storm are back in action on Friday at the Bearcat Invite in Maryville, Mo.