SEARCY, Ark. – Senior Casen Hammitt delivered a historic performance on his home track, shattering the school record in the javelin to highlight a dominant weekend for the Harding men's track and field team at the Stallion Transportation Harding Invitational.

Hammitt's record-breaking toss of 69.48m (227-11)+ on his opening attempt didn't just win the event; it eclipsed his own previous school record of 217-02 set in 2025 by more than 10 feet. The mark established Hammitt as one of the premier javelin throwers in NCAA Division II this outdoor season, comfortably securing an NCAA provisional qualifying mark.

Sprints and Hurdles Excellence

The Bisons showcased their depth in the sprints, led by Donald Nwamere, who captured the 100-meter dash in a wind-legal 10.52. He was followed closely by teammate Brayden Shine, who took second in 10.62. The duo also anchored a victorious 4x100-meter relay team that clocked a 40.96.

In the hurdles, Savian Bush continued his early-season tear. Bush won the 110-meter hurdles in 13.88+, falling just shy of his own school record (13.75) but securing another NCAA provisional qualifying mark for the Bisons.

Mid-Distance and Distance Sweep

Harding's distance crew swept the podium across multiple events. Sophomore Emmanuel Ragira took the 400-meter title in 47.68, while Dillon Williams led the 800-meter field with a time of 1:56.64.

In the 1,500 meters, Brady Axtell secured a victory in 3:59.23, leading a pack of six Bisons who finished in the top 10. Freshman Benson Lingokal put on a show in the 3,000 meters, winning with a time of 8:29.40.

Field Event Standouts

Beyond Hammitt's heroics in the javelin, the Bisons found success in the jumps and throws:

• Triple Jump: Senior Yves Bilong posted a massive mark of 15.49m (50-10.00)+ to take first place, securing an NCAA provisional mark. He was followed by freshman Artem Konovalenko in second (15.10m+), who also cleared the provisional standard.

• Pole Vault: Isaac Hodges cleared 4.75m (15-07.00) to lead a Harding sweep of the top four spots in the event.

• Throws: Freshman Kameron Kauffman won the shot put with a toss of 16.10m (52-10.00) and added a third-place finish in the discus. Nate Rivers took second in the hammer throw with a mark of 49.36m (161-11).

Decathlon Dominance

The Bisons also swept the podium in the decathlon, which concluded Friday afternoon. Sophomore Hayes Cox took the overall title with 6,401 points, followed by Isaac Pratt (6,143) and Elijah Smith (5,499).

Up Next While the outdoor squad continues to build momentum, several Bisons will travel to Virginia Beach, Virginia, next week for the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships on March 13-14.