DAVENPORT, IOWA – Competing at the St. Ambrose University Battle in the Hive indoor track and field meet, a little bit of program history and some strong performances highlighted the season-opening competition for the Knox College men's and women's indoor track and field teams on Saturday.

The Knox women finished fourth overall, scoring 45 points to set the stage for several standout performances.

Scoring in two events, Zoe Thunhurst starred for the Prairie Fire. She won the women's long jump with a best effort of 15 feet, 0.75 inches (4.59 meters). In the shot put, Thunhurst's 33-9 feet (10.29 meters) earned her third place. This mark ties for the 10th-best in program history.

Making her collegiate debut, first-year distance specialist Elsie Conwell put her name in the Knox College record book. Conwell ran a top-10 time, winning the mile in 5:35.51. Conwell's time ranks the fifth-fastest in women's program history. 

Another first-year woman making her debut a memorable one was Delylah Briscoe. Briscoe ran a prelim time of 8.38 in the 60-meter dash, good for the 10th-best in school history. Briscoe would finish fourth in the finals.

Also scoring team points and putting herself in the school's top-10 record book was Lily Cuddy. Cuddy finished sixth in the women's 60-meter hurdles, running the event in 11.85. Cuddy's time places her seventh in Knox history. 

Earning a second place for Knox in the weight throw was Stephanie Nelson. Nelson had a best toss of 40-8 feet (12.39 meters). 

For the men, Knox finished fifth overall with 26 points, leading to a series of individual highlights.

Coming off a strong cross country season, Lance Miller looked in midseason form, winning the mile in 4:19.23. Miller's time is only three seconds back of his program record pace. Miller added a second-place finish in the 800 to that performance. Miller covered the track in 1:58.99, nearly one second off school-record pace and less than .25 seconds behind his career best. 

Giving Knox another strong second was Stevan Dzolic, whose best toss of 47 feet (14.32 meters) is only a few inches behind his career best from last season.

With the season underway, the Prairie Fire are now off for two weeks before competing at the Grinnell Invitational on January 24.