LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One small step for Zander Hooten, one monumental step for the Bellarmine University track and field program.

On Saturday at the ASUN Indoor Championships, Hooten's step atop the podium signified a groundbreaking achievement, as the senior became Bellarmine's first men's athlete in the Division-I era to earn a gold medal in track and field, doing so in the 60m hurdles at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center.

Hooten's gold-medal-winning performance at the Bellarmine-hosted conference meet was the second overall for the program in the D1 era after Amelia Svidal placed first in the women's triple jump at the 2025 ASUN Outdoor Championships.

Hooten claimed the first-ever gold prize on the men's side after tying his own program record that he set in the prelims with a 7.93. Along with being first-team All-ASUN, he was rewarded with 10 points for his top finish.

Bellarmine medaled in four events, with three coming in the individual spectrum. Senior Alex Hooten captured a silver medal in the 800m in a program-record 1:51.29, which bested his 1:51.55 mark from the prelims. Hooten secured eight points with the runner-up finish.

Freshman Dylan Forster captured a bronze medal in the shot put after placing third with a 16.02m heave, which was good for six points. Also securing a bronze was the 4x400m relay team of junior Carter Olmsted, Zander Hooten, sophomore Grant King and senior Zac Hutslar, as the squad finished in 3:17.72 while collecting six points.

Bellarmine had three scorers in the 60m hurdles and the shot put. In addition to Zander Hooten, Olmsted placed seventh (2 pt, 8.42) and freshman Taevion Sweeney was eighth (1 pt, 10.74) in the former, while sophomore Enrico Busato took seventh (2 pt, 14.54m) and junior Will Bracher was eighth (1 pt, 14.47m) in the latter.

Bellarmine had a pair of scorers in the 200m and the 400m. King was fourth (5 pt, 21.81) and Hutslar was fifth (4 pt, 21.84) in the former, while King was seventh (2 pt, 49.45) and senior Jackson Gordon was eighth (1 pt, 51.14) in the latter.

Freshman Tola Taiwo rewrote his own program record in the triple jump with a 14.11m leap while placing sixth (3 pt). Alex Hooten scored in the mile as well after finishing eighth (1 pt, 4:06.13).

Svidal took down her own program record in the women's triple jump while placing fifth (4 pt) with an 11.94m leap.

Junior Aubrey Lane tied for eighth in the high jump (1.52m) to earn a half-point. Lane combined with freshman Kate Alvis, junior Annie Somwe and senior Jansen Story to place fourth (5 pts) in the 4x400m relay.

Central Arkansas swept the team titles in convincing fashion.

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