UR’s Men’s Track and Field team took first place and the women’s team took third place at the Jan. 25 Nazareth University Conference Challenge Cup.
The men’s team produced four first-place finishers: senior distance runner Sean Hendricks, senior thrower Jordan Johnson, graduate student sprinter Mitch Lienert, and junior pole vaulter Cody Reeth. The four athletes won the 800-meter run, weight throw, 200-meter dash, and pole vault, respectively.
UR swept the podium in the 800-meter run, with junior Brendan McCollum and senior Skye Crocker following Henricks in second and third place, respectively.
In the 200-meter dash, first-year Greg Palma joined Lienert on the podium in second place.
Two UR athletes had podium finishes in the long jump, with seniors Manny Eribo and Cole Goodman placing second and third, respectively.
In the next jumping event, the high jump, junior Aadit Jain placed third after clearing a 1.87-meter bar.
UR’s last podium finisher in an individual event was senior Vishal Yalamanchili, who achieved second place in the 3000-meter run.
UR’s 4×200-meter relay team took second place, consisting of senior P.J. London, Mitch Lienert, Greg Palma, and first-year Trevor Whitney.
In total, UR’s men’s team produced four winners, five runners-up, and three third-place finishers between the individual competitors and the group events.
As for the women’s team, senior Megan Bell won the 400-meter dash and established a personal best and Nazareth University Conference Cup record with a 56.77 second time.
Junior distance runner Riley Joseph placed second in the 5000-meter run.
Sophomores Nora Chen, Eva Ciuffetelli, junior Tina Kyriacou, and Bell placed second in the 4×200.
Chen, Ciuffetelli, sophomore Raquella Casserino, and Bell dominated the 4×400 with a time of 3:54.90, which earned them a Nazareth University Conference Cup record and second place in Division III competition this year.
Both UR teams will continue their seasons next Thursday, Jan. 30 at RIT’s Thursday Night Meet.
