EMMITSBURG, Md. (February 24, 2024) – After completing the opening day of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Indoor Track & Field Championship, Mount St. Mary's sees the men's team in second place with 50 points and the women in fourth with 16. Six of the 17 men's events were scored on Saturday, and five from the women's side.
 
Highlighting a bounty of successful performances is freshman Justin Sluijter and his effort in the long jump. The sensational rookie impressed again by surpassing a school record he already set this season, winning the event with a mark of 7.74 meters. Sluijter's distance is also 27^th best among all NCAA Division I competitors nationwide this season.
 

Congratulations to the Men's Long Jump Winners!

??: Justin Sluijter, @MountXCTF, 7.74m
??: Josh Burgess, @RiderXCTF, 7.19m
??: Zach Manorowitz, @RiderXCTF, 7.17 m#MAACSports x #MMACTF pic.twitter.com/mBThxIfpqu

— #MAACSports (@MAACSports) February 25, 2024

Tyler Cash emerged victorious in the men's pole vault, forging a 1-2 combination with Arran Fahey. Cash earned 4.50 meters with Fahey at 4.40 meters.
 
Five members of the team scored points in the high jump, led by Dante Elliott coming in second on the men's side at 2.00 meters. Rebecca Weir stood fourth in the women's event with 1.58 meters. William Cook took fifth (1.95m), Jaelyn Chevannes nabbed seventh (1.53m), and Reginald Hankins earned eighth (1.90m).
 

Congratulations to the Men's High Jump winners!
??:Devynn Lee, @RiderXCTF, 2.03m
??: Dante Elliot, @MountXCTF, 2.03m
??: Michael Palmer, @RiderXCTF, 2.00m#MAACSports x #MAACTF pic.twitter.com/E3TIb4zkVV

— #MAACSports (@MAACSports) February 25, 2024

 
More Mountaineers tallying points included Emma Aller Espina with a third place distance of 5.59 meters in the women's long jump. She was joined by a seventh place mark of 5.49 meters by Madelyn Valpy. Renaldi Falwell finished sixth in the weight throw at 16.64 meters.
 
For the running events, 13 members of the team qualified for the finals after worthy preliminary showings. Richard Gilchrist and Maeve Parrish took first in their respective events, as Gilchrist ran the 60 hurdles in 8.08 seconds while Parrish paced the 800 meter field with a 2:17.65. Alexe Gauthier (60m, 200m), Todd Charles (60m, 200m), Will Stephenson (60h), Joseph Poleate (60h), Miles Moore (200m), Daniel Reader (200m), Zaria Wilson (400m), Diego Miguelena (Mile), and Elizabeth Freymann (Mile) all earned qualification.
 

Congratulations to winners of the Women's Long Jump!

??: Mariah Stephens, @RiderXCTF, 5.82m
??: Sydney Lavelle, @QU_TFXC, 5.60m
??: Emma Aller Espina, @MountXCTF, 5.59#MAACSports x #MAACTF pic.twitter.com/vMfiXN7e0s

— #MAACSports (@MAACSports) February 25, 2024

 
Track races ended with the distance medley. The men's team of John Ruona, Bah Abdoulaye, Kevin Zaleski, and Miguelena finished third while the women's team of Mary Campbell, Natalie Spadaccini, Emma Strickland and Erin Billigmeier took eighth.
 
Day two of the meet begins at 5 p.m. Saturday from the Nike Track & Field Center at the Armory. All the action is streamed on MAAC.TV.