LEXINGTON, Va. - WVU Tech track and field continued its indoor season Saturday at the VMI Team Challenge, turning in a series of strong performances against a deep field and finishing ninth on the men's side with 14 points.
Freshman Isaac Agee led the way for the Golden Bears with a pair of scoring efforts. Agee took fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with an 8.49, then added a sixth-place finish in the long jump with a mark of 6.64 meters (21-09.50). He also ran a 23.93 in the 200 meters.
WVU Tech's distance group delivered one of the meet's top highlights in the 4000-meter distance medley relay, as the quartet of Evan McElwayne, Tommy Wikel, Chucky Jordan and Jan Fasius Ponsa finished third in 11:36.41, a performance that sat fourth in the NAIA at the time of the meet.
In the men's middle-distance events, Wikel posted a 1:32.12 in the 600 meters, while Jordan followed with a 1:36.16. In the men's mile, McElwayne recorded a personal best with a 4:49.70, and Ponsa followed in 4:50.83.
The Golden Bear throwers also put together a solid day. Freshman Brady Smith led the group with an 11.63-meter (38-02.00) effort in the shot put and a 11.55-meter (37-10.75) mark in the weight throw. Matthew Rhodes added 10.75 meters (35-03.25) in the shot put and a season best 11.15 meters (36-07.00) in the weight throw, while Jonathan Cantley posted a weight throw personal best of 9.16 meters (30-00.75).
WVU Tech also had several women compete in sprints, jumps and distance events, highlighted by a pair of school records. Freshman Rebecca H. Lorincz set the program record in the 200 meters with a time of 27.87, while freshman Hailey Ervin established a new WVU Tech standard in the long jump with a mark of 4.34 meters (14-03.00). Freshman Jadyn Farmer followed Lorincz in the 200 with a 30.12, and senior Nevaeh Wooding clocked a 30.88. In the women's mile, sophomore Lexie Wikel posted a 6:07.76, and sophomore Peyton Asbury added a 7:13.46.
WVU Tech continues its indoor schedule next weekend at the Liberty Open in Lynchburg, Virginia.
