COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College track and field teams returned to action for the first time in seven weeks on Saturday, hosting a large contingent of competitors at the annual Collegeville Classic.
Junior Jequan Mitchell produced an impressive set of performances in the Bears' first action of 2017, teaming with freshman Codi Yhap, sophomore Sam Pope, and freshman Andre Kelly to help Ursinus take first place in the 4x400-meter relay. The foursome finished in 3:28.45, nearly three seconds in front of the runner-up group from West Chester.
Additionally, Mitchell placed 14th in the 200-meter dash (23.85) and crossed the line in fourth with a mark of 7.17 in the 60-meter dash.
Pope was the only Ursinus athlete to capture an individual victory, uncorking a leap of 21-5.50 to win the long jump by an inch and a half. Freshman Matt Gallagher posted a 20-1.75 to finish seventh, and fellow rookie Austin Bittenbender was 12th at 19-0.50.
Junior Adam Myers threw a 45-3.00 in the shot put, a career best by 1.25 inches and good for third overall; Myers' mark ranks third in the CC this season.
Junior Joseph Iuliucci stood out in the distance events, placing sixth in the 1000 (9:30.68) and eighth in the mile (4:41.05). Yhap was 13th in the 200, one hundredth of a second faster than Mitchell.
For the women, senior Erin Farrell registered a clocking of 8.23 to finish fifth in the 60-meter dash.
Sophomore Brittany Gasser jumped all the way to fourth on the CC performance list with a 2:27.43 in the 800, and Junior Jenna Kelly elevated to fifth with a 2:28.53. Junior Lily Talerman posted a 2:38.78.
Freshman Sophia Simoes fell just shy of a season best in the shot put, tossing a 34-2.75 to land in seventh. Sophomore Mikaela Bordonaro did manage a season high with a 31-4.50, moving up five spots on the CC charts in the process.
Sophomore Morgan Cope cracked the conference's top-10 in the pole vault, notching an 8-10.25 to finish eighth overall and move into ninth in the CC list.
Junior Katherine Damato finished 11th in the high jump (4-5.00) and 16th in the long jump (14-8.50), and sophomore Riley Engel was 16th in the mile (5:48.09). Freshman Auresa Cunningham took 14th in the 400 (1:04.13), where classmate Catherine Curran was 20th (1:07.42).
Junior Catherine Buczek placed 18th in the 200 (28.26).
The track and field teams travel to Allentown for the Muhlenberg Invitational on Friday, January 27.
