JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — With one week before the Midwest Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Knox College track and field teams competed at the IC Hilltop Classic on Friday evening, hosted by Illinois College.

The Prairie Fire had three individual performers finish among the top 10 in their respective events, led by junior Lance Miller, who placed third in the mile run with a time of 4:23.09, not even three seconds off the pace set by the winner, Caleb Leach of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Sophomore Stephanie Nelson finished seventh in the women's weight throw with her heave of 14.89 meters (48 feet 10.25 inches). That distance shattered the program record set by Christina Davis 15 years ago by more than two feet.

In the women's mile run, senior Franny Hilliard came in 10th place by covering the distance in 5:35.37, barely two seconds more than the school record established three years ago by Autumn Crow.

One other performance of note was in the men's weight throw in which junior Stevan Dzolic hurled a distance of 14.85 meters (48 feet 8.75 inches). His throw beat his personal best by nearly two feet and moved him into fifth on Knox's all-time performers list.

The Midwest Conference Championships will take place at Monmouth College on Feb. 28-March 1.