GAINESVILLE, Fla. - In a day highlighted with multiple individual conference champions, the Flagler College men's track and field team took home second place yesterday at the 2025 Peach Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University took home first place after compiling 224 points. Flagler pulled in 155 while both Lander University and USC-Beaufort tied for third with 41 points. Clayton State University finished in fifth place with 33 points.

Francisco Ramirez was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team after being selected by his coaches for his work both on and off the track.

In the sprints side of the competition, three different Saints found themselves on the podium. Caden Vann is the 2025 indoor 60 meter hurdles champion after his 8.23 second career best. Vann separated himself by a drastic .52 margin from second place. In the 60 meter dash, freshman Nate Watson cracked seven seconds, running a season-high 6.98 in his second 60 meter of the season. Watson's 6.98 placed him second overall. Sophomore Houston Harper earned bronze in the 400 meter dash with his 50.04 finish. A notable race came in the 200 meter dash where Malachi South placed fourth overall. Running a 22.21, South missed third place by a minuscule .01 of a second.

In the mid-distance races, the Saints were near perfect on the podium. John Carbone ran an impressive 1:51.19 to take home first place. With this time, Carbone set the Division II National Championship provisional time and now ranks 27th in the country. Luke Larkin also sat at the top, taking first in the mile. Larkin's 4:11.30 was a new personal best. Will Stone took second in both the 800 and mile. Stone ran a 1:53.97 in the 800 and narrowly got edged by Larkin with a 4:11.48 mile. In his second race of the season, but second race in three days, Kaleb Hollins took third in the 800, running a 1:54.53.

The 5000 meter race earned the Saints gold and silver, led by Finn Russell who came in at 14:45.51. Not far behind him was Dieumerci Ufitimana who placed second with a new personal best 14:51.03. Sweeping the podium in the 3000 meter race with Brandon Kneija, Ramirez, and Jon Eide leading the charge. Kneija placed first with his 8:39.17 while Ramirez took second in 8:40.72. Jon Eide took third in 8:45.01, two seconds faster than fourth.

The 4x400 came down to the wire for first and second. The Saints prevailed over Lander by .59 of a second. Malik Edwards came off the blocks followed by Harper, Logan Camara then South as the anchor. The distance medley relay was a hard fought second place finish for the Saints, missing first by .52 of a second. Stone started relay off, followed my Hollins, David Stanley then Logan Burch at anchor.

Other Saints who earned points were Vann (60m), South (200m, 400m), Kneija (mile), Romain Biguet (3K), Ramirez (5K), Eide (5K), Christian Fernandez (5K), Kruz Jimenez (60m H, triple jump, long jump), and Jude Daly (shot put).

In the second official season of the PBC indoor season, the Saints scored 59 more points than they did last year.