EAST STROUDSBURG (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University men's and women's track and field teams set a number of personal-best times and saw a rookie set a school record in the women's triple jump as the Aggies competed at the 23rd Annual DeSchriver Invitational hosted by East Stroudsburg University on Sunday.
First-year Paige Thompson earned a fifth place showing out of 13 competitors, and was the top Division III finisher in the women's triple jump. On her sixth and final attempt, Thompson reached 9.98 meters (32 feet, 9 inches), her best of the day, and half an inch further than Elizabeth DeMassa of Moravian. It was a personal best for Thompson and a new indoor track school record for the women's triple jump.
Fellow rookie Delaney Hilferty, a sophomore for the Aggies, set a new personal-best in the women's weight throw with a toss of 10.85 meters. Hilferty also competed in the women's shot put and reached 10.45 meters to earn 15th out of 33.
Meanwhile, junior Alyssa Blackmon earned a third-place showing in the women's 3,000 meter run with her best collegiate finish of 11:28.55. That mark also punches Blackmon's ticket to the MAC Championships.
In the women's 4x200 meter, Kelly Hastings, Alysia Joseph, Chante Newman, and Sarah Mullen ran a 1:57.36 to earn fifth overall ad the top Division III finish in the field. Hastings, in the first leg, ran a 28.61 to lead the squad.
Senior Catherine Couse was the lone DelVal runner in the women's 400-meter run and finished in 1:16.23.
On the men's side, the throwers shined and the relay team excelled as rookies and veterans all contributed to a successful day.
DelVal's trio of men's throwers including first-years James and John Mahana and sophomore Brandon Perot impressed in their events. In the shot put, all three finished top-14 out of 33 competitors. James Mahana led the way with a throw of 12.98 meters to earn ninth, while Perot reached 12.74 meters for 11th, and John Mahana reached a personal best of 12.37 meters to finish 14th. John Mahana followed that with an eighth place showing in the weight throw and another personal best as he reached 13.27 meters. James Mahana finished 14th out of 31 with a throw of 11.98 meters.
The men's 4x200 team of Moses Madison, Matt O'Dunlami, Antonio Mable, and Janiel Taveras earned fifth out of 12 teams with a time of 1:36.31. Madison and Taveras, the bookends of the group led the way with sub-24 second splits.
In the 55-meter hurdles, first-year Wayne Hamilton finished top-5 out of 10 and set a new personal record with an 8.4 second finish.
Junior Carter Owen finished 10th out of 19 in the men's mile with a time of 4:56.47 and finished ninth out of 15 in the 600-meter with a mark of 1:36.65.
The Aggie men's and women's indoor track teams will compete at the Big Apple Invitational at the Ocean Breeze Complex on Saturday, February 11.
