Wright State's track and field team may have only claimed two first-place finishes at the Horizon League outdoor championships last weekend, but don't let the numbers fool you—this program is on the rise. Head coach Rick Williamson couldn't hide his enthusiasm after the three-day meet hosted by Oakland, where a wave of Raiders athletes found their way to the podium.

"We've had some pretty doggone good women's teams," Williamson said. "But when you have people in the finals going back to back or at the same time, it's just exciting. From a team aspect and energy and support, this was probably the best I've been a part of."

The Raiders' men's program, still in its early years, finished seventh out of eight teams—but that doesn't tell the full story. "The men were only nine points out of fourth," Williamson noted. "Every year, you can see them—because we're so young and new at this—keep getting better and better. Gosh, in the next couple years, we can be a top-three team." The women's squad placed eighth out of 10, showing depth and promise across the board.

Leading the charge was freshman Thomas Cook, a Miami Valley School product who's quickly becoming a name to watch. Fresh off a high jump title at the indoor league meet, Cook cleared 2.11 meters (nearly 6 feet, 11 inches) to win again outdoors, matching his personal best. That performance has him sitting 34th nationally—right in the mix for NCAA regional qualification. "The kid can just jump," Williamson said. "You could see right away on Sunday, he just had his legs. He looked a little tired the last couple weeks, but Sunday, he had some pop." Cook even took a shot at the meet record of 2.14 meters, coming close on two attempts. "Once he gets the technique down, who knows how high he'll go?"

On the women's side, junior Hannah Falknor from Troy delivered a memorable sprint double effort. She captured the 100-meter crown, then nearly pulled off the 200-meter win in dramatic fashion. "We thought she had a chance to win the 100," Williamson said. "In the 200, she barely scraped into the final the day before. She was in lane one—the last qualifier in. She came off the turn and was maybe fifth or sixth, and she just started passing people. It was bonkers. We had about an hour window where things were just crazy. It was like, how is this happening?"

Adding to the Raiders' depth, junior Jude Elkins from Delaware, Ohio, battled through an ankle injury to finish second in the 110 hurdles and fifth in another event, showcasing the grit that defines this young, hungry squad.