St. Ambrose got off to a strong start on the first day of the CCAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Joliet, Ill., Friday.

The Bee men, behind 23 season-best and 16 point-scoring performances, built an early lead. SAU compiled 84 points to hold a slight advantage over Olivet Nazarene (78 points) heading into the final day Saturday.

Brandt Williams was crowned the conference champion in the javelin, posting a school-record and B standard mark of 58.78 meters.

That was one of eight all-CCAC performances for the SAU men Friday.

The Bees placed second-third in both the 10,000m run and the long jump. Luke Getz was runner-up in the 10K, finishing in 31:35.34, just ahead of teammate Luke Benes (31:36.73). In the long jump, David Arney was second with a mark of 6.90 meters and Leavell Windfield took third at 6.88 meters.

Joe Reinhart was third in the discus with a throw of 45.00 meters and Atem Agot's jump of 1.86 meters was good for third in the high jump. The 4x800m relay team of Tommy Ashby, Will Dowda, Chris Miserendino and Dylan Grandon won silver in 7:45.60.

The St. Ambrose women were second after Friday's action, accumulating 63 points to trail only Olivet Nazarene (70 points).

The Bees crowned three conference champions among 13 season-best marks and 10 point-scoring performances.

Kaitlyn Knoche set school and championship-meet records while hitting the B standard in the 3000m steeplechase. Her record-breaking time was 10:57.70. The steeplechase featured an all-conference sweep for St. Ambrose as Adeline Smith (11:58.24) was second and Lexi Minard (12:05.92) placed third. Lauren Johnson and Rileigh Fortune were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Michaela Pieroni won the 10,000m run, clocking a time of 40:29.18. The other SAU champion was Brianna Neumiller, who won the discus with a throw of 42.70 meters.

Saturday's action will begin at 3 p.m.

SAU women's results

100m prelims
4th Sarah Jordan, 12.34
12th Asia Wiggins-Miller, 13.06
16th Ja'Kniah Lewis, 13.40

200m prelims
3rd Sarah Jordan, 25.18
10th Asia Wiggins-Miller, 27.02
20th Ja'Kniah Lewis, 28.47

10,000m
1st Michaela Pieroni, 40:29.18

3000m steeplechase
1st Kaitlyn Knoche, 10:57.70**
2nd Adeline Smith, 11:58.24
3rd Lexi Minard, 12:05.92
4th Lauren Johnson, 12:15.19
5th Rileigh Fortune, 12:41.30

4x800m relay
7th Danielle Moore, Carlie Woolm, Loryn Heil, Eileen Elenteny, 11:03.77

High jump
Clare Mate

Long jump
12th Asia Wiggins-Miller, 4.72m

Discus
1st Brianna Neumiller, 42.70m
9th Julianna Jones, 31.89m
18th Olivia Moisa, 18.25m

Javelin
4th Ryleigh Warden, 35.76m
6th Annaliese Bowser, 34.43m
9th Lynzie Cady, 26.19m
10th Kate Surwillo, 25.31m

SAU men's results

100m prelims
13th Saviour Vesey, 11.40
14th Isaac Nolan, 11.41
16th Nathan Koonce, 11.62
JaQuarion Lewis

200m prelims
8th Ben Wilson, 21.90
10th Alex Fuller, 22.20
12th JaQuarion Lewis, 22.45
13th Isaac Nolan, 22.57
20th Saviour Vesey, 23.46

10,000m
2nd Luke Getz, 31:35.34
3rd Luke Benes, 31:36.73
5th Noah Maske, 32:10.22
7th Ross Willerth, 32:58.08

110m hurdles prelims
2nd Ben Wilson, 15.05
7th Nathan Koonce, 16.41

3000m steeplechase
4th Ian Eller, 10:11.80
6th Kale Cartee, 10:23.36
7th Gavin Stalzer, 10:29.01
8th Kevin Chaney, 10:30.67
13th Shyam Devasthali, 11:51.38

4x800m relay
2nd Tommy Ashby, Will Dowda, Chris Miserendino, Dylan Grandon, 7:45.60

High jump
3rd Atem Agot, 1.86m
9th Isaac Nolan, 1.76m
10th Aiden Haag, 1.71m
Shyam Devasthali
Anthony Conard

Long jump
2nd David Arney, 6.90m
3rd Leavell Windfield, 6.88m
12th Aiden Haag, 5.94m
14th Anthony Bianchi, 5.79m

Discus
3rd Joe Reinhart, 45.00m
4th Brandt Williams, 44.53m
13th Marcus Steen, 35.36m
Taylor Snook

Javelin
1st Brandt Williams, 58.78m**
4th Blake Bohon, 54.57m
11th Anthony Spiezio, 42.17m
12th Taylor Snook, 41.87m
19th Simon Holland, 38.34m