STATE COLLEGE (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University men's and women's track and field teams competed for the final time before the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championships at the PSU tune up as individuals looked to improve on season-best times and qualify for the conference championship meet.
The Aggies competed at Penn State University in State College against fierce competition from all Divisions of the NCAA as a final tune up for next week's MAC Championships at Alvernia.
First-year Kait Jones was impressive in the women's weight throw as she set a new program record with a personal best mark of 13.59 meters. She improved with each of her five attempts on Friday afternoon and her final go was good enough for fourth place and the top mark among division III athletes.
In the women's 60-meter, first-year Grace Kane was the top division III finisher with a time of 8.22 seconds to earn fifth place overall. Kane also competed in the 200-meter and was the DelVal top finisher with a personal-best time of 27.05 seconds to earn 13th out of 26 finishers.
In the unseeded women's one-mile event, Alyssa Blackmon recorded a new personal record with a mark of 5:48.84 to earn seventh place. Blackmon reached another personal-best with a 1:13.01 finish in the women's 400-meter
Alysia Joseph also competed in the women's 400-meter and impressed with a personal-record and program record with her mark of 1:02.7. She also competed in the women's 200-meter and reached another PR with a 27.75 second finish.
On the men's side, Matt O'Dunlami led a group of seven Aggies that competed in the 400-meter with his personal-best time of 53.13 seconds to earn a fourth place finish and the top division III mark. Teammate Dontae Mason finished one spot behind with his personal-best 53.69 seconds. Moses Madison and Ethan Berberabe also earned top-10 showings with marks of 55.68 and 55.87, respectively.
Mason also showed well in the men's triple jump and 60-meter run with personal best marks in each. His triple jump reached 13.22 meters and he finished the 60-meter in 7.4 seconds.
In the men's one-mile run, Carter Owen ran a 4:56.66 and in the men's shot put, Brandon Perot earned a top-10 finish with a personal-best mark of 14.27 meters.
"Fantastic performance from our group this weekend," said head coach Tim Wilson. "A lot of great results and a ton of momentum heading into the conference championships. We have a lot to be happy about, but need to keep the intensity high heading into next weekend."
DelVal will head to the MAC Championships at Alvernia for the two-day event beginning on Friday, February 25th.
