JOLIET, Ill. -- Led by University of St. Francis' third place finish in the 4x400-meter relay event and Jerrico Rodriguez's second place finish in the 400-meter Hurdles competition, 10 members of the University of St. Francis men's track & field program contributed to the Fighting Saints' 33 total points at the 2026 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championships over the weekend at Joliet Memorial Stadium.  That landed USF a sixth-place finish among eight squads at the meet.

Olivet Nazarene University gained the team title with its 346 points, while St. Ambrose University was second with 207 and Saint Xavier University third with 79.

Rodriguez fared well individually in his field of 12 competitors in the 400-meter Hurdles, finishing just 0.41 seconds behind of the first-place contender with a time of 55.91 for eight points.  He also secured three points for the Saints in the Long Jump, with a sixth-place distance of 6.31m as well as one point in the Triple Jump, with an eighth-place distance of 12.46m.

Additionally, Rodriguez was a part of two relay teams for USF that garnered points.  He aided the 4x400-meter relay squad - which consisted of teammates Ellias Smith, Jonathan Tavares and Montrell Chapman - to a third-place finish amongst seven competing teams with a time of 3:25.65 for six points, as well as the 4x100-meter relay crew - which consisted of teammates John Hannah III, Smith and Greyson Harrington - to a fifth-place finish with a time of 43.46 for four points.

Also locking in individual point-awarding performances on the day were Chris Ogbuli and Jack Wright.  Ogbuli placed sixth in the High Jump event (1.70m) to add three points to USF's total, while Wright authored a sixth-place finish in the 1500-meter run with this time of 3:58.52 for three points.

In the 4x800-meter relay competition, the team of Alberto Fernandez Arango, Wright, Cris Estanol and Tavares gained the remaining five points for USF with their fourth-place time of 8:09.26.

By placing in the top three in their respective events, Rodriguez and the 4x400-meter relay (Rodriguez, Smith, Tavares, Chapman) all secured all-conference honors.

St. Ambrose's Joe Reinhart garnered Outstanding Field Event Performer honors, while St. Ambrose's Elijah House claimed the Outstanding Track Event Performer accolades.  Olivet Nazarene's Noah Mack was named the meet's MVP.

Olivet Nazarene's Kyle Rago was named the CCAC Coach of the Year, while Olivet Nazarene's Zontavius Johnson was tagged as the league's Assistant Coach of the Year.

Up Next
The Saints are back in action next Friday and Saturday (May 8-9) when they host their own Fighting Chance Invite.

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