CHESTER, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Track and Field posted several impressive results at the Danny Curran Invitational. The Eagles set two new program standards and had several other top-ten performances.
Ni'Male Greenwood continue to lead the Eastern sprint group. He set a new program mark with a 21.75 second run in the 200 Meters. That time puts him right in the top 20 nationally in the event. He finished fourth in the 100 Meters but did not improve on his time from last week. Jame Ugorji ran a very solid 22.44 in the 200 for a PR. Greenwood is the only Eastern athlete to run the half-lap faster.
Greenwood's second program-record came as part of the 4 x 100 Meter Relay that finished fourth overall. The only DIII squad in front of the Eagles was a group from Rowan. The Profs sprinters and hurdlers helped them to a third place finish at the National Indoor Championships a couple weeks ago. Ugorji, Justin Bateman, and
Austin Boddie got the baton to Greenwood, and the Eastern stick crossed the line in 42.23 seconds. The previous record was 43.44.
Ian Hopkins continued to impress in the short hurdles. He equaled his 15 second effort from the week before. He finished behind three Rowan runners and Sam Estherson, the 2024 MAC Runner-Up. His time is the second-best mark in the MAC this spring.
Jeric Lewis put up a big effort in the Triple Jump — an event where Eastern has had great success in the past. His outdoor-best 13.92 meter effort was the third best by a DIII athlete and puts him in the early-season conversation for national qualifying. Frantzy Sainvil, who qualified for Nationals in 2018, is the only Eastern jumper to clear 14 meters in the event. His 14.59 meter effort is a great standard for Lewis to chase.
Ryle Mellinger and
Robert Walton ran the 5,000 meters on Friday evening. The duo ran the third and fourth fastest times in program history. Mellinger ran 15:20 and Walton came in at 15:32.42. Both runners are well inside the MAC standard for the event.
Jason Karch hit the MAC standard with a gritty run in the 10,000.
"Our goal," Head Caoch
Will Mills said of the weekend, "was to take advantage of the great weather and competition and to develop consistency in our performances. This was another good weekend for us."
The Eagles will compete again at Millersville University next weekend.
