STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Senior Steve Thompson and sophomore Zach Michon met IC4A qualification in individual and relay events to lead the Saint Joseph's men's track and field squad at the unscored 2018 Penn State National Open, held at Penn State University's Ashenfelter III Indoor Track from Friday through Saturday.
Thompson flew through the 800m in a season-best time of 1:53.73, which qualifies the senior for the IC4A Indoor Track and Field Championships in March. Thompson finished just .03 seconds behind race winner Nicholas Scullin of Lebanon Valley for a second-place finish in a field of 22. Thompson won his heat and did not have the opportunity to race Scullin head-to-head.
Racing his first 1000m of the season, Michon clocked in with an IC4A-qualifying time of 2:28.07 en route to a third-place finish in a field of six. The sophomore becomes the first Hawk this season to meet IC4A qualification in multiple individual events having also qualified in the mile last weekend.
That same senior-sophomore duo bookended SJU's fastest Distance Medley Relay of the season as Thompson, senior Kenny Evely, junior Dylan Eddinger, and Michon recorded an IC4A-qualifying time of 9:55.46, good for third place in a field of six squads. With that time, SJU's DMR ranks second in the Atlantic 10 and 15th in the nation.
Senior Collin Crilly recorded a new collegiate-best time in the 3000m, crossing in 8:32.10 for fifth in a field of 21. Crilly edged out Maryland's Louis Corgliano (8:32.49) to turn in the third-fastest performance by a collegiate runner.
Senior David Dorsey (15:00.16) and junior Tommy Higley (15:02.76 PR) turned in fifth- and sixth-place finishes in an 11-member 5000m field.
A pair of rookies enjoyed strong performances in freshmen Stephen McClellan and Matthew Scarpill. In his first collegiate 500m, McClellan clocked in at 1:05.39 to win his section en route to a seventh-place showing in a field of 20. Scarpill improved upon his mile time once again, clocking in at 4:17.63, an entire 7.90 seconds faster than his collegiate-debut performance, to place fourth in a field of 20 milers.
Also of note, sophomore Aaron Lemma ran a collegiate-best 400m time of 50.91 for 11th in a field of 14, while SJU's 4x400m relay of freshman Sebastian Eaton, sophomore Trae' Robinson, McClellan, and senior David Henderson crossed in 3:21.11.
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Sophomore Colin Gallagher won the 3000m and sophomore David Bryant totaled a team-best nine points to lead the Saint Joseph's men's track and field squad to a second-place team finish in a field of three teams at the 2018 Monmouth Winter Collegiate Invitational, held at Monmouth University's OceanFirst Bank Center on Saturday. The Hawks totaled 56 points as host-school Monmouth won the meet (229 points) and NJIT placed third (4 points).
Gallagher flew through the 3000m race in a collegiate-best time of 8:53.87, edging out Monmouth's Matt Farrell (8:54.95) for the individual title. The performance earned seven points for the Crimson and Gray.
Of note, Gallagher opened the season with a 3000m time of 9:03.43 (January 5), improved to 8:56.49 (January 13), and now owns a season-best time of 8:53.87.
Bryant earned nine points out of a pair of sprint events, placing fourth in a field of 25 in the 60m (7.17) and fourth in a field of 24 in the 200m (23.68); both performances stood as the third-fastest finishes by a collegiate racer.
Sophomore Colin Parker (first-collegiate 1000m, 2:33.32) and sophomore Christian Roberts (Mile, 4:30.19) each placed second to earn five points apiece while sophomore Joey Angelina (1000m, 2:35.69 PR) and sophomore Antonio Amaral (3000m, 9:07.48) each placed third to earn four points apiece.
***
Saint Joseph's returns to action with a pair of meets next Saturday, February 3. The Hawks will race the Frank Colden Invitational at Ursinus College's Floy Lewis Bakes Center in Collegeville, Pa. beginning at 9:30 a.m. as well as the Villanova Invitational at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y. beginning at 4:00 p.m.
