Senior (Staunton, Va./Riverheads) thoroughly dominated the throwing events, easily winning the shot put and weight throw. He was named the Athlete of the Meet, the first 91����Ƶ male since Michael Allen in 2011, and the first male to win the title at the ODAC’s Indoor Championship.

Classmate (Broadway, Va./Broadway) bettered his prelimary qualifying time with a first-place finish of 8.28 in the finals. His time broke both the ODAC conference and championships records.�� It was also Robinson’s third ODAC Champion title of his career, repeating as the 60m hurdles champion after also winning the 110m hurdles from outdoor season last spring.

Lagging team health hindered the women, who finished sixth, despite a pair of individual championships for senior (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) who defended her titles in the 800m and mile. Bridgewater edged Washington and Lee 135 to 133 for the team title.

Two Royals also won scholar-athlete awards. Junior was voted the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Scholar-Athlete.�� A biology/pre-med major with a minor in business administration, Denlinger holds a 3.98 GPA is also a four-time All-ODAC honoree.�� This is the second straight indoor scholar award for Denlinger.

Chappell-Dick also earned her fifth consecutive ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Scholar-Athlete award.�� She is a biology major with minors in coaching, exercise science and honors.�� Chappell-Dick holds a 3.84 GPA and has won every scholar-athlete honor possible from the ODAC since the beginning of her junior season.

Men’s results

Heizer PRed in the shot put and the weight throw, while also claiming the three best throws in each at the meet.�� In the shot put, Heizer’s best landed at a monster 15.81m (51-10.75ft), not only winning gold but also vaulting him to No. 25 in the nation.�� Then in the weight throw, he landed at 15.06m (49-5.25ft).�� Both improved on his No. 2 spots in the 91����Ƶ record books.

(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) claimed fourth behind teammate Robinson in the 60m hurldes race in 8.68, while (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) took sixth in 8.73.�� It was a PR for Faint.

Jumper (Bristow, Va./Patriot) had a great first effort, as the freshman took All-ODAC Third Team honors in the triple jump at 13.61m (44-8ft).�� His PR distance was the third-best effort in 91����Ƶ history.

Amoateng then cleared 1.79m (5-10.5ft) in the high jump to claim seventh.�� The freshman also grabbed seventh in the long jump, landing his best at 6.36m (20-10.5ft).�� Both efforts were PRs, with the long jump distance putting him No. 8 all-time at 91����Ƶ.

(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) earned third place in the 800m for All-ODAC Third Team status.�� The junior crossed in 1:57.24, behind only a pair of Bridgewater runners.

Running partner (Mount Sidney, Va./Fort Defiance) had a similar finish in the mile, settling for third in 4:25.98.�� He then took fifth in the 3000m with a time of 9:03.55.�� Thibodeaux was five seconds behind four runners clumped within just over a second of each other.

The 4×400 relay team staked a third-place.�� The foursome of Faint, (Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass), (Salem, Va./Salem) and Denlinger finished in 3:27.32. Faint had a great all-around individual effort, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in the 400m, clocking in at 50.83.�� The sophomore’s PR also bumped him up to No. 8 in the 91����Ƶ’s record books.�� Sampson also grabbed two points for taking seventh in the event at 51.47.�� He comes in at No. 9 in 91����Ƶ history.

The distance medley relay team added two points towards the team total with a seventh-place finish.�� (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg), (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle), (Dayton, Va./Ben Logan) and (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) came in at 11:52.21.

Women’s results

Chappell-Dick broke the ODAC Championships record in the mile, registering a time 5:03.54.�� She was more than four seconds better than the previous best at the ODAC Indoor Meet, beating Carmen Graves’ time of 5:07.84.

Then in the 800m, she edged Marissa Combs of Virginia Wesleyan in 2:20.62, just ahead of Coombs’ 2:20.80.�� She has now won the last four indoor and outdoor 800m ODAC titles, as well as the last two miles, which are only an indoor event.

Sophomore (Dover, Ohio/Dover), who won the 3000m and 5000m last year, took fifth in the 5000m with a time of 19:36.21.�� After finishing runner-up last year, (St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden) also didn’t run the 3000m.

The distance medley relay team just missed defending last year’s title, coming in second.�� (Goshen, Ind./Goshen), (King George, Va./King George), (Manheim, Pa./Hempfield) and Paden put together a time of 13:14.36, finishing nearly four seconds behind Bridgewater’s winning foursome.

(Bedford, Va./Liberty) finished fourth in the triple jump.�� Her first two jumps each landed at 10.57m (34-8.25ft), but Lynchburg’s Shanice Clarke edged her with one late jump at 10.66m (34-11.75ft).�� Kittrell then settled for eighth in the long jump, sticking her best at 4.78m (15-8.25ft).�� She was less than an inch from seventh place and 3.5 inches from sixth.

The 4x400m relay team of Williams, Yoder, Chappell-Dick and Schirch took fifth, combined for a time of 4:13.85.

(Waynesboro, Va./Waynesboro) claimed sixth in the 60m dash, crossing in 8.15 in the finals.�� The freshman’s PR improves her No. 2 time in the 91����Ƶ record books.

In the 400m, Williams also finished sixth.�� She was second in her heat, clocking at 1:02.54.�� Pole vaulter (Denton, Md./North Caroline) was another of the women who finished sixth, as she cleared 2.22m (7-3.25ft).

(Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) finished seventh in the shot put, with her best toss landing at 10.10m (33-2ft).

For the men,����(Mount Sidney, Va./Fort Defiance) took nearly six seconds off of his indoor PR in the 3000m, coming across in a time of 8:43.68 to re-break his own school record of 8:49.20 from the CNU Holiday Open in December.

A foursome of����(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock),����(Winchester, Va./Millbrook),����(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) and Thibodeaux destroyed the program record in the distance medley relay.�� The foursome crossed in 10:29.09, topping the 2013 record of 10:37.15 by more than eight seconds and bumping the Royals to the No. 11 spot in the nation this season.

The 4x400m team of Faint, Denlinger,����(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) and����(Salem, Va./Salem) had the seventh-best time in 91����Ƶ history at 3:28.34.

Denlinger set his indoor PR in the 800m, stopping the watch at 1:56.50.�� He moves to the second-best time in the event in 91����Ƶ history.�� Luke Yoder set the record of 1:55.84 in 2007.�� Denlinger also sits at No. 23 in the nation so far this season with the time.

A pair of young runners made a splash in the 400m.�� Faint, a sophomore, clocked at 51.41 to win his heat and earn 21st overall.�� Faint PRed with the effort and moved up two spots to No. 8 in the 91����Ƶ history books.�� Sampson, a freshman, knocked 0.01 of his PR to take sole possession of No. 9 in the books at 51.65.

��(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) had a successful re-entry to the track season, as he punched an ODAC spot in the 5000m.�� The 2014 S/SE Region Athlete of the Year in cross country, Gehman finished his race in 16:18.61.

��(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) improved upon his 91����Ƶ No. 2 distance in the weight throw.�� His best toss landed at 14.87m (48-9.5ft), an improvement of more than two feet.�� Nathan Turner holds the 91����Ƶ record at 15.77m (51-9ft).�� In the shot put, Heizer landed at 14.18m (46-6.25ft).

For his efforts, he was named ODAC Field Athlete of the Week.

In the 60m hurdles,����(Broadway, Va./Broadway) crossed in 8.78 while����(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) came in at 8.96.

��(Charlotte Court House, Va./Randolph Henry) punched an ODAC ticket in the 200m, winning his heat in 23.69.�� He also participated in the long jump, sticking his best landing at 6.07m (19-11ft).

��(Bristow, Va./Patriot) made just one of his three attempts in the triple jump, but it was good enough to tie him for No. 7 in 91����Ƶ history at 12.83m (42-1.25ft).

Meanwhile on the women’s side,����(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) put herself fourth in the nation in the mile run with her time of 5:02.05.�� The All-American was the top D-III runner at the meet and took fifth overall. Chappell-Dick broke the finish line seventh overall in the 800m with a time of 2:16.02.�� She is ninth in the nation with the time. She was named ODAC Athlete of the Week for her win.

Three other women ran in the 800m, with each earning an ODAC-qualifying time.������(King George, Va./King George) had a PR of 2:30.74, jumping herself to No. 6 on the all-time 91����Ƶ charts.�� Freshman����(Manheim, Pa./Hempfield) shaved more than a second off of her first collegiate race with a time of 2:31.21 to take No. 8 in 91����Ƶ history, and����(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) came in at 2:33.60.

In the 3000m,����(Dover, Ohio/Dover) crossed in 10:34.38.�� Senior����(St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden) was 12th overall in the 5000m, clocking in at 20:19.51.

The distance medley relay team of Chappell-Dick, Williams, Yoder and Schirch had a solid time of 13:42.21.

In the field events, sophomore����(Bedford, Va./Liberty) was the lone 91����Ƶ representative.�� She just missed her indoor PR in the triple jump, landing at 10.55m (34-7.5ft).�� In the long jump she measured at 4.44m (14-7.0 feet).

The Royals head to Selinsgrove, Pa., next Saturday for the Crusader Challenge hosted by Susquehanna University.

“Jesus loves me, this I know, though my hair is white as snow,” he began. “And my eyes are going dim, I’ve had cataract surgery. Still He bids me to trust in Him. Though my steps are oh so slow … I have a cane. I belong to the Canaanites. Though my steps are oh so slow, with my hand in His I’ll go. On through life, let come what may, on through life, He’ll be there to lead the way.”

Davis, who was baptized in 1943 while serving in the U.S. Army, worked from the 1960s through the 1980s in Christian institutions of higher education to bring multicultural awareness and diversity into curricula and campus communities.

He came to 91����Ƶ near the end of his career, serving from 1980 to 1985 as the first director of the Cross-Cultural Center, the precursor to today’s .

Davis was introduced in the chapel service by senior Philip Watson, a member of the Black Student Union and a student representative to 91����Ƶ’s Diversity Taskforce. Watson spoke of Davis’s scholarly accomplishments and thanked him for the role he played nearly 35 years ago.

“He is one of the unsung heroes of 91����Ƶ…” Watson said. “His accomplishments paved the way for many of the programs and organizations that are active today, such as the Black Student Union, Latino Student Alliance and International Student Organization. Without people like Dr. Abraham Davis being one of the first to pioneer cultural change at 91����Ƶ, many of these organizations would not exist today.”

An invitation to lead change

The Cross-Cultural Center, known as the CCC, was a place “where international students and students of color could support each other” and where “strong relationships” could be established with the predominantly heterogenous campus community at the time.

Davis was also tasked with “ethnically integrating the curricula in the various departments,” he said in an October interview at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community with Watson. “The curricula was prevailingly ethnocentric at the time, from the white perspective only. I spoke in chapel, bought books and films for the library, spoke in classes, invited other black professors and musicians to campus from around the country.”

In 1980, as a result of a “cross cultural task force,” Davis also became minority advocate program coordinator.

“It was the beginning of things … It was so new then,” said Davis, of the move towards multicultural curricula and inclusion. “There were some who were supportive. Some professors invited me to class and some would send students to me. Some people had never met a black professor with a PhD from a Big 10 university. Even now, that’s true.”

Carpenter to professor

Davis’s six years at 91����Ƶ were among his last appointments in a long and challenging career in academia. He often encountered prejudice and bigotry. Just a few years before he began teaching at Indiana University while earning his doctorate in rhetoric and public address, a crowd of white students had marched with Confederate flags in protest of the election of a black student to the position of student body president.

While Davis jokes that he might now choose a more practical major than rhetoric, and perhaps even a different career, he is sure of one thing looking back over his 92 years: that his professional choices were driven by a hunger to know more about the Bible.

Raised in South Carolina under Jim Crow restrictions and trained as a carpenter, Davis says his parents, neither of whom attended high school, encouraged him to seek further education. But it was his acceptance of Christ at age 22 while stationed with the U.S. Army in Marseilles, France, and his subsequent baptism in Okinawa in 1946, that changed his life.

“After I became a Christian, I became much more interested in people than in building things,” Davis says.

Blessed with a beautiful baritone voice and a flair for performing, Davis wasn’t sure “what direction the Lord wanted me to go … should I be a singer, a preacher, what?” For a time, he trained as a teacher with the Child Evangelism Fellowship in Santa Monica, California (at this point in the interview, Davis reeled off three short snippets of hymns, all perfectly in pitch, that he used to teach children on the playgrounds in California and his hometown of Beaufort, South Carolina).

Eventually, though, using the GI Bill, Davis pursued studies at Lancaster (Pa.) School of the Bible (now Lancaster Bible College) and then Houghton College in New York, where he graduated in 1955 with a degree in classical Greek and minors in speech and art. He earned a master’s degree from Temple University (Philadelphia, Pa.) in speech correction the following year and a PhD. from Indiana University in 1971.

When he came to 91����Ƶ in 1980, Davis had taught a wide variety of subjects at several universities, including South Carolina State College for Negroes (now South Carolina State University), Houghton (where he was also debate coach), Indiana University, and Messiah College, where he rose to be dean of the Philadelphia campus.

‘Work to be done’

Among the speakers to honor Davis were President Loren Swartzendruber and professor emeritus Titus Bender, a member of the committee who hired Davis from his position at Messiah.

“I’m grateful for the work that Dr. Davis did while he was here and I pray that we can continue his legacy,” said Swartzendruber. “There is still much work to be done and we know that.”

He noted that the current campus community continues to work on cultural competencies and communication as it welcomes an increasingly diverse student population (this year’s includes 37 percent of students who are ethnic minorities or from another country). Swartzendruber also spoke of 91����Ƶ’s early support for integration – the college admitted its first black student in 1949, just one of first two institutions in the former Confederate states to do so.

Though Watson, with the assistance of Multicultural and International Student Services Director , was the organizer of the service, Eric Payne was the link between past and present. It was Payne who met Philip Watson one day outside the fitness center. Payne is an assistant coach with women’s basketball and Watson a sprinter on the track team. The two started talking, and Payne urged Watson to reach out to Davis, who lives in Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.

“It’s been a mission of mine to see that Dr. Davis get his recognition and I’m honored to be here to help in that …,” said Payne, who has coached at 91����Ƶ since 2002. “This is a high point in my life. I told Dr. Davis that a few days ago and he thought I was joking but it’s true.”

Teacher and coach mentored by Davis

Payne calls Davis a mentor even though the two just missed each other on the 91����Ƶ campus. A native of Waynesboro, Virginia, Payne came to 91����Ƶ in 1986 and struggled with the culture on campus. By that time, Davis had seen his position eliminated by budget cuts and was teaching elsewhere. Payne, though, found traces of the professor, of his eloquent rhetoric and his incisive cultural criticism, in the chance discovery of an article by Davis.

Payne quoted a few sentences during the service from the article, which he still has in his possession: “… [M]any if not most are not motivated to intensify or dilute the ethnocentricity in curricula to the adaptive methods of teaching, testing and advising according to the needs of select international and national minorities. However, I am still willing to rap and dilute this hypothesis with faculty and students whenever and wherever they desire individually or collectively.”

The blunt accuracy of the statement, along with the use of the word rap – “I love that,” Payne told the audience –caused him to think someone “got it.” Though Payne stayed on campus long enough to help invigorate the Black Student Union, he eventually finished his degree at James Madison University.

Still, that chance encounter drew Payne to seek out the professor when he retired to Harrisonburg a few years later. For many years, the two stayed in touch. Payne eventually finished credential coursework at 91����Ƶ and now teaches at Fort Defiance High School. He plans to graduate from 91����Ƶ with a master’s in education in the spring.

He too, along with Philip Watson, who graduates this spring with a degree in psychology, carries on a legacy that was sustained and energized by Davis and his work at 91����Ƶ.

“It was one of the great honors of my life to be part of this,” Payne said. “I thank God for Dr. Davis.”

Freshman distance runner����(Dover, Ohio/Dover) cemented her status as an elite athlete, breaking 91����Ƶ’s record in the 5000m and taking second place overall at the mostly D-I meet. Lehman roasted the track to a finish of 17:43.77, finishing in between a pair of runners from the University of North Carolina. She destroyed her own 91����Ƶ record of 18:10.40, set in December.

��������������ٱ�����(Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula) broke her personal record in the event, crossing in 20:15.98 to also grab the No. 8 spot in 91����Ƶ’s history books.

In the 4x400m relay, the women’s foursome of����(King George, Va./King George),����(Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood),����(Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) and����(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) timed the No. 3 effort in program history at 4:20.40.

Chappell-Dick was the top D-III finisher in the mile run, taking a time of 5:16.47.����(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) clocked a season best in the 800m at 2:36.34, narrowly missing the ODAC qualifying time by 0.05 seconds. And Williams broke her PR in the 400m, timing at 1:04.62.

��(Bedford, Va./Liberty) landed a nice effort in the triple jump, measuring at 10.44m (34-3.00ft).�� Also in the field,����(Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) had a best toss of 13.02m (42-8.75ft) in the weight throw.

For the Eastern Mennonite men,����(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) had a monster toss in the shot put.�� His best heave of 14.00m (45-11.25ft) was not only the top D-III distance at the meet, but also put him third in 91����Ƶ history and with the second-best throw in the ODAC this season.�� He was also solid in the weight throw, landing at 11.93m (39-1.75ft)

��(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) punched an ODAC ticket in the 5000m, but more importantly earned the No. 2 time in the 91����Ƶ record books.�� His time of 15:49.48 was only behind cross country teammate��Jacob Landis‘ 15:41.94, a record set last year.

In the 800m run, sophomore����(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) earned the third-best finish in 91����Ƶ history with a time of 1:57.01.����(Staunton, Va./Fore Defiance) wasn’t far behind as he landed at No. 4 in the 91����Ƶ books at 1:57.77.

The duo also ran in the mile.�� Denlinger again crossed first in 4:31.19 to take seventh in program history, while Thibodeaux had his season best run at 4:35.20.

��(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) earned a trip to the ODAC Championships in the 200m, timing at 23.90.�� In the 400m, 91����Ƶ had two men qualify for ODACs, highlighted by����(Winchester, Va./Millbrook) PRing in 52.07.����(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) had a finish of 53.11.

��(Broadway, Va./Broadway) continued his road back in the 60m hurdles with a season best time of 8.79.

Then in the 4x400m relay, the Royals had a foursome cross in 3:30.16, which was just a tenth of a second behind a team from ODAC rival Washington and Lee.������(Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass), Bush, Denlinger and Faint combined for the No. 7 time in 91����Ƶ history.

And a foursome also landed in No. 7 in the distance medley relay, as��(Churchville, Va./Fort Defiance),����(Nelson, Va./Nelson County),����(Richmond, Va./Huguenot) and����(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) clocked at 11:08.35.

��(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) kept in his ODAC-leading shape by clearing 1.92m (6-3.5ft) in the high jump.

Eastern Mennonite’s teams are back in action next weekend, participating at the DuCharme Invitational in Carlisle, Pa., on Saturday.

The vigil’s name refers to the death of Michael Brown, who was killed in August in Ferguson, Mo. His death and resulting protests in Missouri spurred the BSU to organize a demonstration in solidarity.

A broadcasted gospel song contained these words, “There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain.” Five students stood in front of the circle, their mouths covered by duct tape, a chain at their feet. In their hands were white balloons, each bearing a name written in black marker.

Undergraduates Kaltuma Hassan and Philip Watson read short eulogies for each person’s name written on the balloons at the Dec. 2 vigil. “One black person is killed every 28 hours in America, whether innocent or guilty,” stated Hassan. “Trayvon Martin, killed February 26, 2012. Seventeen years old, shot in Sanford, Fla., allegedly shot in self defense by George Zimmerman.” As they read through 18 names, Thomas went down the line of balloons, popping each as its name was read. “Dante Parker, killed August 12, 2014. Thirty-six years old. Tased to death. Killed by San Bernadino police department.”

“Being a black, 20-year-old male, I couldn’t help but think that every name that was read aloud could have been me,” said BSU President Londen Wheeler, who was one of those holding balloons. “I hope that the attendees were able to feel the discomfort and the disbelief. I also hope that this was an opportunity for the attendees to see that their voice – although this was a silent protest – against racist police brutality can help make a difference in the nation.”

After the reading, the gospel song was played again, and the five demonstrators picked up the chain at their feet and threw it over the rim of the plaza.

History professor Mark Sawin attended to listen to the BSU and “support them and all my black students and colleagues who are finding ways to speak out.” Acknowledging the privilege that being a straight white male affords him in society, he says “we need to tease apart and closely examine the privilege that allows incidents like this [the shooting of Michael Brown] to happen. There is deep fear in doing this.”

That fear, Sawin explained, is a product of advantaged people who do not recognize their privilege and become defensive in conversations about racial violence. He desires to “create a society where we all work and benefit and live together. I’m horrified by the violence and the fear that permeates our society, so it’s time I start looking at the privilege that creates it.”

Watson, a board member and treasurer of the BSU, said, “I just hope that the vigil opened up a lot of peoples’ eyes and made them aware of what is occurring right in their backyards. The message was clear that this injustice cannot keep continuing.”

Wheeler hopes that the 91����Ƶ community will start talking about this issue openly; the BSU is working on more educational events about being black in America. “This is something that we can’t keep sugarcoating,” said Wheeler. “Let’s start a conversation.”

Seminary faculty member David Evans said, “Many leaders around the United States have called for a national conversation to deepen our understanding of race and our national history and why conflicts such as these should not surprise us.”

Evans is teaching a class titled “Race and Religion in America.” Held Jan. 4 to March 14, this online, two-credit course is aimed at deepening our understanding of our racial, religious and national identities. Registration is occurring now.

“We will be working to understand how race functions in different periods of time and in relationship to religion and nationalism. Race, religion and nationalism cannot be properly understood without each other. So we will discuss Native American religion, White religion, Mexican Catholicism, Black religion and Jewishness, amongst other identity categories.”

The men had the biggest contingent participating, and the runners made a habit out of clocking their career best times.

��(Nelson, Va./Nelson County) had a great day as he set personal bests in both the 200m (23.09) and 400m (52.87). ��(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) also scored a PR in the 200m at 23.17, while����(Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) finished with a time of 22.71. Winters also led the trio in the 400m with a time of 50.38.

��(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) had a breakthrough performance in the 800m as the freshman took sixth overall with a huge PR time of 1:54.58. The time puts him No. 3 on the all-time 91����Ƶ list and just 0.06 seconds from Marcel Long at No. 2.

��(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) shaved six seconds off of his personal best time in the 3000m steeplechase, finishing fifth at the meet in 10:13.06. He improves his No. 5 time in the 91����Ƶ record books.

In the high jump,����(Dalton, Oh./Central Christian) took fifth with a best height of 1.99m. After clearing 1.99m, King passed on the next height (2.04m), which was a mark he had already attained this year, and went for 2.09m (6-10.25ft). His third attempt was his best, but he just grazed the bar with his heel and did not clear the height.����(Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) had an earlier than expected exit from the competition, but still grabbed a top-10 finish with a mark of 1.89m (6-2.25ft).

In the throws,����(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) had a huge day, taking home two personal best marks. In the shot put, he placed fifth overall with a best toss of 13.02m (42-8.75ft), good for No. 8 on the 91����Ƶ list. In the discus, his best toss of 34.90m (114-6ft) was good for ninth place overall.

��(Bluffton Oh./Bluffton) was the lone female participant for 91����Ƶ, but she made her presence felt in her one race. The sophomore dropped down to run the 400m and sped to the No. 2 time in 91����Ƶ history at 59.08. Chappell-Dick’s time was more than a second faster than her previous best. Lorenda Abbott set the 91����Ƶ record at 58.08 in 1999.

Coach Jason Lewkowicz said he was very pleased with the efforts the meet.

“We had personal best marks all over the place and some folks were able to end their season on high note,” Lewkowicz explained. “Jeremy Heizer had a great day in the throws and it’s hard to believe that he’s only been throwing for a few months. His improvement has been very impressive. Alec Thibodeaux got put in a great heat of 800m runners and cut over two seconds off of his lifetime best in the event. Finally, I was really proud of how Londen Wheeler competed, taking home two huge PRs in the 200m and 400m.”

The focus continues for a handful of 91����Ƶ athletes to prepare for trips to the national meet later in May. Despite not running in the event at Liberty, Chappell-Dick is No. 4 in the nation in the 800m at 2:11.89, and seems a lock to qualify for nationals. King is currently No. 19 with his height of 2.04m (6-8.25ft) from the ODAC Championships and seems likely to earn a spot in the field of 22 participants. Vrolijk is tied at No. 28 at 2.00m (6-6.75ft).

Lewkowicz sees King hitting his stride and hopes his senior can go out on a high note.

“Jordan King was able to take jumps at over 6-10,” he said, “and although he was unable to improve his season best mark, he came really close and goes into next week with confidence to get those few extra centimeters he needs to cement a place at the NCAA championships.”

Eastern Mennonite’s tracksters are at back-to-back meets next week, with many of the Royals participating in Thursday’s Roanoke Twilight Invitational.�� Just a handful will turn around the next day for the high-level Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville.

Chappell-Dick�� took second place in the 800m, and was easily the top D-III finisher, as she broke her own school record with a time of 2:12.95.�� Her record from last spring was 2:13.19.�� The next D-III runner was more than seven seconds behind Chappell-Dick.������(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) also had a solid finish in the event, crossing 13th in 2:26.95.�� She was third among runners from 91����Ƶ’s level.

Bane also broke her own school mark in the hammer throw, landing at 39.28m (128-10ft).�� Her previous best was 38.43m (126-1ft), also set in 2013.

��(Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) moved into 91����Ƶ’s top 10 in the 5000m, setting her PR at 19:37.29.

On the men’s side, the Royals had eight top-10 finishes and three new ODAC qualifiers.

The highest finish went to����(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite), who ran the 3000m steeplechase and took fourth with a final time of 10:21.78.�� The finish pits him fifth in 91����Ƶ history.

Meanwhile the 4x100m relay team crossed in fifth with a time of 43.69.������(Freeman, S.D./Freeman Academy),����(Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside),����(Nelson, Va./Nelson County) and����(Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) combined for the No. 5 time in the program’s books.

��(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) and����(Sterling, Ill./Sterling) looked good in the 5000m, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.�� Gehman was the top D-III finisher in 15:45.92, while Landis was right behind in 15:48.88.������(Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) tallied 13th and was the fourth D-III runner with a time of 16:28.89.

In the 400m, Winters was seventh and the top D-III male with his time of 50.41.�� He earns a trip to the ODAC Championships with his finish and is sixth in program history.������(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) was three spots behind Winters in tenth with a time of 51.74.

��(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) had an eighth-place finish in the 800m, timing at 1:57.54.������(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) was just outside of the top 10 in 11th, with his finish of 1:59.31.�� He was also 11th in the 1500m in 4:07.30, qualifying for ODACs in the process.

��(Richmond, Va./Highland Springs), who joined the team with the recent completion of the men’s volleyball season, finished tenth with his first efforts in the long jump.�� He also earned a trip to the ODAC meet with a landing at 6.37m (20-10.75ft).�� Moore was also the top D-III finisher.

The Eastern Mennonite track teams are back in action next Saturday at the Mason Spring Invitational, hosted by D-I George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

Sophomore����(Bluffton, Oh./Bluffton) had the only gold for the weekend, winning the 800m in 2:17.21.�� She was nearly two seconds ahead of her nearest competitor in a large field of 41 women.�� Chappell-Dick also finished fifth in the 400m, clocking at 1:00.72.�� That race had a tight finish, as she was within a quarter of a second of third place.

Elsewhere for the women in Lexington,����(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) and����(Puyallup, Wash./Mountainview International) qualified for ODAC in the 400m, crossing in 1:04.99 and 1:07.12, respectively.�� Schirch also earned a ticket in the 800m with a time of 2:27.70.

The Royals qualified three runners in the 5000m, led by����(Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) in 11th place with a time of 19:32.58.������(Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area)crossed in 19:52.71 and����(Matoaca, Va./Matoaca) clocked at 20:33.23, easily breaking the 21-minute barrier for the first time in her career.

��(Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) and����(Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula) participated in the Roanoke meet, and both had runner-up finishes there.�� Bane took second in the discus with a PR throw of 33.20m (108-11ft).�� She just missed third in the hammer throw, settling for fourth at 34.95m (114-8ft).�� Borg PRed in the javelin, taking silver with a distance of 30.78m (101-0ft).

The men had the second- and third-place finishers in the high jump at the W&L Carnival.�� Sophomore����(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) took silver with the No. 5 jump in 91����Ƶ history, clearing 1.97m (6-5.5ft).������(Dalton, Oh./Central Christian) earned the bronze, having a best height of 1.92m (6-3.5ft).

��(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) took a conservative approach to his first 3,000m steeplechase experience but still came through with an ODAC qualifying time of 10:45.01 which places him seventh on the 91����Ƶ top-10 list.

��(Sterling, Ill./Sterling) made his outdoor 5,000m debut a solid one as the junior came through with a time of 15:25.08 which was good for seventh place. The time also places him No. 2 on the 91����Ƶ top-10 list. ����(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) now sits at No. 5 on the 91����Ƶ list with his time of 15:33.46. ����(Bluffton, Oh./Bluffton) also had a solid showing in his outdoor 5000m debut running a personal best time of 16:16.43.

��(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) finished third in the 800m, clocking at 1:57.06.�� He was just over one second out of first place.����(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) crossed seventh in 1:58.62.�� Both men also qualified for ODACs in the 400m, with Thibodeaux registering a time of :52.30 and Denlinger coming in at :52.79.

Sophomore����(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) led a large 91����Ƶ contingent in the event, taking tenth in :51.65.������(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) wasn’t far behind in :52.03, while����(Nelson, Va./Nelson County) was the last of the five Royals in :53.46.

Sprinter����(Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) was sixth in the 200m, timing at :22.62, and was tenth in the 100m in :11.31.������(Appomattox, Va./Appomattox) also qualified for ODACs in the 200m, coming in at :23.16.

��(Staunton Va./Riverheads) highlighted his day by taking third in the shot put in Roanoke, landing at 11.96m (39-3ft).

Coach Jason Lewkowicz said he was very pleased with the start to the outdoor season.

“We had a hard week of training across the board and to see the team perform this well on tired legs is a great sign,” he explained. ��“We were blessed with great weather and great competitive atmospheres.�� With such a young team, it is important that we take each opportunity to go out, compete, and show consistent improvement. ��This weekend was a great step in the right direction.�� We look forward to having a lot of fans come out to support us next Saturday at Bridgewater!”

The Eastern Mennonite track teams give their fans the best chance of the year to see them participate next Saturday, when they compete at the Dr. Harry GM Jopson Invitational hosted by Bridgewater College.

“I’m really excited to see growth in our track & field program this year,” Lewkowicz said.�� “We have a lot of talented newcomers on the men’s side and a number of All-ODAC performers returning for the women. ��Expectations are high and we are excited about that.”

(Bluffton, Oh./Bluffton) is back for her sophomore season after breaking five Eastern Mennonite middle distance records in her first year.�� For the men, (Dalton, Oh./Central Christian) will look to improve on his incredible growth from last year.�� As a junior transfer, King was talked into trying the high jump by Lewkowicz.�� In his first-ever campaign in the event, King won both the indoor and outdoor ODAC titles, and also broke the 91����Ƶ outdoor record.�� Not bad.

Lewkowicz said that with a balance of faith, team camaraderie and talent, he senses his men and women are poised to reach new heights in 2014.

“We are looking to continue to build off of that success from last year and part of that is the expectation that school records will continue to be broken,” he explained.�� “This adds to the level of excitement on the team because setting records is an indication of performing at a level that will help us as a team at the ODAC level.�� At the end of the day, the goal is to get better each time out and let the accolades come as they will.”

Also back for the men is sophomore (Broadway, Va./Broadway), who took the silver in the 60m hurdles at the ODAC indoor meet and bronze in the 100m hurdles at the outdoor meet.�� For the women, sophomore (Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) was third in 800m outdoor race, finishing just behind Chappell-Dick.�� The women had a distance medley relay team take third at the indoor meet in 2013, and Brumfield, (Gap, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite), and (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) all return from that foursome.�� Another sophomore, (Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula), was third in the javelin last spring to round out 91����Ƶ’s athletes who earned an All-ODAC honor last year.

Lewkowicz expects those athletes to be the core of his squads this year, along with (Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) in the distance runs, (Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) in the throws and jumper (Canby, Ore./Western Mennonite).�� Garber earned the No. 3 spot in the 91����Ƶ record books in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump as a freshman in 2011, but took the last two years off.�� For men, (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) will help push King in the high jump.�� Last year as a freshman, he broke the school’s indoor high jump record before King took it over.�� Cross country standouts (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) and (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) will lead the distance group.

91����Ƶ’s coach pointed out that the men’s talent level is getting much deeper this year.

“In the hurdles, All-ODAC performer Richard Robinson is joined by talented freshman (Lynchburg, Va./Heritage),” explained Lewkowicz.�� “ (Mechanicsville, Pa./Atlee) and (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside) highlight a talented group of freshmen sprinters, with (Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) and (Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) coming into a middle distance group that could score a lot of points at the ODAC meets.�� Returners (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts), (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) and (Nelson, Va./Nelson Country) give us a level of depth that we have not had in years.”

Along with the freshmen men that Lewkowicz pointed out, he noted a handful of returners who might turn heads with the improvements they have made.

“I think Erica Garber will make steady progress as the season goes on,” he said.�� “Juni Schirch and (Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) missed most of last year due to sickness and injury and I expect them both to do well.�� On the men’s side, Philip Watson and Jonathan Bush are poised to breakout this season.

With a number of Royals runners either competing or training with the cross country team this fall, Lewkowicz explains the transition of the group into the track season.

“Moving out of a successful cross country season, the focus turned to bringing the entire track team together as a unit,” he said.�� “We have a lot of newcomers, some folks returning from/leaving for cross culturals, and some returning from injuries.�� Getting everyone on the same page and focused on the same goals is always a priority.�� We are also putting a lot of emphasis on doing the little things well to help keep us healthy in body, mind and spirit.

After years of running their championship meets with an “open” format, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference has added qualifying standards this year.�� Although the Eastern Mennonite teams continue to grow in number (25 men and 14 women), the benchmarks are more likely to provide nice targets for 91����Ƶ’s athletes rather than limit how many Royals participate.

“At this point, the standards should not have too much of an effect on our team,” said Lewkowicz, “since each school is guaranteed three spots in each event, regardless of time/mark attained, in addition to four ‘wild card’ placements at the ODAC meet.�� While we do have depth in several areas that could leave some folks out, I believe most of our athletes will be able to hit the qualifying mark for their respective event(s).”

The 2013 track season nearly became synonymous breaking records, and the Royals hope to do the same thing in 2014.�� They also want to rise out of the middle of the pack at the ODAC meet.

“We want both teams to improve their finish at the ODAC meet, both for the indoor and outdoor season,” Lewkowicz said.�� “We already saw a school record broken at the December meet and we anticipate a lot more of that taking place over the course of the season.�� It is also my hope that we use our platform as a collegiate team to represent our university well and to glorify Christ through our attitude, effort, humility and sportsmanship.�� He is the giver of all good gifts and we want to honor Him in all that we do.”

The 91����Ƶ teams are in action this weekend at the Liberty Open in Lynchburg.�� The ODAC Indoor Championships are March 2 in Hampton, Va., with nationals two weeks later in Lincoln, Neb.�� The outdoor season then starts on March 22, with the ODAC Outdoor Championships on April 18 and 19.�� After a handful of “last chance” meets, the national outdoor meet is May 22-24 in Delaware, Ohio.

(Dalton, OH/Central Christian) won the high jump by two heights, clearing 1.99m (6-6.25ft).�� His measurement also put him at the No. 2 spot on the 91����Ƶ all-time list, behind only Phil Landes, who cleared 2.03m (6-8ft) in 1987.

(Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) had a good day in the sprints.�� He charted the No. 7 time in 91����Ƶ history in the 200m dash, crossing in 22.73 seconds.�� In the 100m dash, McBride took the No. 8 spot with a time of 11.22.

Distance runner (Harrisonburg, VA/Harrisonburg) finished less than a quarter of a second behind Bridgewater’s Luke Sohl in the 800m run.�� The senior’s time of 1:58.47 gave him sixth place at the duals, and the No. 8 spot in the 91����Ƶ books.

(Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) continued to impress in the 400m hurdles, as he set a new personal record at 58.15.�� He was also part of a 4x100m relay team which took the seventh-best time in 91����Ƶ history.�� The team of (Fork Union, VA/Louisa County), McBride, Bush and (Nelson, VA/Nelson County) clocked at 44.00, also taking third at the event.

(Philadelphia, PA/La Salle) was the top 91����Ƶ finisher in the 400m with a time of 52.14.

Allen’s best leap in the long jump landed at 6.46m (21-2.5ft), but he fouled on all three attempts in the triple jump.

(Ooltewah, TN/McCallie School) and (Salina, KS) both competed in the throws.�� Sloan was the top Royal in the shot put at 11.36m (37-3.25ft), while Walker was ahead in the hammer throw at 21.97m (72-1ft). ��Sloan also landed at 44.82m (147-0ft) in the javelin, for fourth at the meet.

The women’s team had fewer athletes participating, but freshman (Bluffton, OH/Bluffton) flashed some top ten times in two events.�� She tried her hand at the shorter distances Saturday and won the 400m dash with the fifth-best time in 91����Ƶ history.�� Chappell-Dick also ran the 200m dash, and finished with the No. 8 time in 91����Ƶ’s books at 27.64 seconds.

(Harrisonburg, VA/Broadway) timed at 5:19.44 in the 1500m run, followed by teammate (Harleysville, PA/Christopher Dock) at 5:26.96.

In the throws, (Strasburg, VA/Strasburg) set a new PR in the hammer throw, with her first heave landing at 34.43m (112-11ft).�� She also had a distance of 27.17m (89-2ft) in the discus.

(Gig Harbor, WA/Peninsula) landed at 24.52m (80-5ft) in the discus and 26.80m (87-11ft) in the javelin.�� ‘s (Archbold, OH/Archbold) best throw in the javelin measured at 19.90m (65-3ft).

Eastern Mennonite’s track teams return to Lynchburg next Saturday for the Liberty Invitational.�� It will be their final tune-up for the ODAC Championships on April 19 & 20.

(Broadway, VA/Broadway) took second in the 100m hurdles while also charting the No. 5 run in 91����Ƶ history.�� His time of 15.82 in the finals got him a silver behind the winning time of 15.53 from Ben Martindell of Bridgewater.

(Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) won the 400m hurdles in his first try at the event.�� He crossed the finish in 58.34, ahead of Martindell at 59.02.

In the 100m dash, (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) showed the biggest improvement between his preliminary and his finals time, taking second at 11.47.�� He just missed the gold to RC’s Trevor Hunt at 11.43.�� He also won the 200m dash, ahead of teammate (Fork Union, VA/Louisa County).�� McBride broke the tape in 23.28, followed by Allen at 23.56.

(Philadelphia, PA/La Salle) won the 400m by nearly a half second, clocking in at 51.47.

(Harrisonburg, VA/Harrisonburg) took the gold in the 1500m run, finishing six seconds ahead of teammate (Wichita, KS/Wichita East).�� Nafziger’s winning time was 4:17.04, while Parker came in at 4:23.00.�� (Mount Joy, PA/Donegal) took sixth place in 4:35.61.

Nafziger and Parker also highlight the 800m.�� Nafziger took fourth with a time of 2:04.70 while Parker also pointed, getting sixth in 2:10.98.

In the relays, the 91����Ƶ team in the 4x100m took second and charted the No. 7 time in 91����Ƶ history.�� The squad of Robinson, Allen, Watson and McBride crossed in 44.04, just behind Bridgewater’s foursome in 43.73.

The 4x400m team didn’t set an 91����Ƶ time, but did manage to win the event at the meet.�� Bush, Robinson, (Nelson, VA/Nelson County) and Watson combined for a time of 3:31.92, winning by more than three seconds.

In the field events, (Harrisonburg, VA/Eastern Mennonite) and (Dalton, OH/Central Christian) were in a group of four men who each had a best jump of 1.82m.�� Vrolijk ended up second based on jumps, while King settled for fourth.

Allen won the long jump and took second in the triple jump.�� In the long jump, the senior landed at 6.63m, while in the triple he measured at 12.22m.

(Ooltewah, TN/McCallie School) led the way in the throws.�� He won the javelin with a fling of 47.40m, the No. 7 distance in the 91����Ƶ record books.�� Sloan took third in the hammer throw with the No. 6 measurement in 91����Ƶ history at 32.15m.�� Then in the shot put he just missed gold, getting second in 11.29m, behind the winning throw of 11.54m.

The Royals grabbed 152 points for the team win, ahead of host Roanoke at 142.

On the women’s side, Chafin Brumfield (Harrisonburg, VA/Spotswood) and Jolee Paden (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Odgen) had big days in the middle distances.�� Brumfield won the 800m run in 2:30.35, with Paden taken second in 2:32.77.�� Hannah Patterson (Puyallup, WA/Mountainview International) was fourth in 2:44.27 while Saralyn Mast (Gap, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) took sixth in 2:48.99.

Paden then won the 1500m by 4.51 seconds.�� Her time of 5:05.15 earned the gold and the No. 8 spot in the program records.�� Brumfield also grabbed a No. 8 all-time spot in the 400m.�� She finished third at the meet in 1:03.19.

Becca Borg (Gig Harbor, WA/Peninsula) approached the 91����Ƶ record in the javelin, taking third place at the Roanoke meet in the process.�� Borg speared at 30.18m, which was second in 91����Ƶ history only to Connie Steiner’s throw of 33.08m in 2004.

Alyssa Bane (Strasburg, VA/Strasburg) also earned points in the throws.�� She just missed her PR in the hammer throw, taking fifth at 31.18m.�� In the discus, the sophomore landed at 28.14m, good for sixth place.

The Lady Royals finished with 48 points, taking third place at the meet, ahead of Hood College with 38.�� Host Roanoke easily won with 243 points.

The Eastern Mennonite track teams are busy next weekend, participating in two meets.�� A group of athletes will go to Lexington on Friday and Saturday for the VMI-W&L Carnival.�� Another group will also participate in the Jopson Invitational in nearby Bridgewater.

Junior (Harrisonburg, VA/Harrisonburg) highlighted the men’s side, as he took down 91����Ƶ records in both the 1000m and mile runs.�� In the one mile, Nafziger crossed the finish in 4:26.77, breaking Kevin Beachy’s record of 4:28.96 which was set in 2007.�� He was also the top D-III finisher at the meet, which was filled with athletes from all three NCAA divisions.

Freshman (Grottoes, VA/Spotswood) had a personal record in the mile, grabbing the eighth-best time in 91����Ƶ history at 4:35.86.

Nafziger also broke the school record in the 1000m, as he was sixth overall at the Liberty Open and the second D-III finisher.�� His time of 2:35.32 beat out Richy Bikko from 2009 by more than three seconds at 2:38.71.

Orellana was again close behind, taking the fourth spot in the 91����Ƶ books at 2:48.02.

(Dalton, OH/Central Christian), in his first year of competing in the high jump, nearly broke the school record.�� The junior cleared the bar at 1.89m (6-2.25ft) to take second among D-III athletes at the meet.�� King’s height was also second only to (Fork Union, VA/Louisa County), who set the record of 1.92m (6-3.5ft) in 2009.�� (Harrisonburg, VA/Eastern Mennonite) tied his personal best from last week, which has him tenth in 91����Ƶ history at 1.79m (5-10.5ft.)

Allen, returning to the team for his final season after missing a year on his cross cultural study, notched his PR in the 60m dash.�� He timed in at 7.38, which also landed him fifth in 91����Ƶ history.�� (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) crossed the finish in 7.54.

In the 400m dash, (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) had a solid finish, as his time of 53.08 had him third among the D-III runners.�� (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle) was a fraction back at 53.34.

The Royals had a busy field in the 200m dash, as Bush led a trio of runners with a time of 24.14.�� Watson came in at 24.19, with Allen crossing in 24.21.�� In the 800m run, (Mount Joy, PA/Donegal) finished one spot ahead of teammate (Dayton, VA/Benjamin Logan).�� Their times were 2:10.93 and 2:13.29, respectively.

In other field events, Allen, although rusty in his return to the triple jump, was still the second D-III finisher, as his best leap totaled 13.11m (43-0.25ft).

(Ooltewah, TN/McCallie School) just missed his PRs in both the shot put and the weight throw.�� In the shot, he charted an 11.85m (38-10.5ft), while he landed at 11.93m (39-1.75ft) in the weight throw.

For the women, what they lacked in quantity on Saturday they made up for in quality.

Hannah Chappell-Dick (Bluffton, OH/Bluffton), a week after breaking the 91����Ƶ record in 800m, added two more program marks to her trophy shelf.�� In the one mile run, the freshman cruised across the finish in 5:12.89.�� She was the top collegiate runner at the meet, notched the top time in the ODAC this season, and broke her own school record by more than 12 seconds.�� Chappell-Dick had already set the 91����Ƶ record in her first meet on Dec. 1, clocked then at 5:25.09.

Classmate Jolee Paden (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Odgen) had actually broken Chappell-Dick’s first record in the event in an earlier heat, clocking a time of 5:24.93.�� Paden settles for second on the 91����Ƶ chart, along with the third-best time in the ODAC this year.�� Hannah Clemmer (Harleysville, PA/Christopher Dock) crossed in 6:03.30 at the meet, with Saralyn Mast (Gap, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) a few steps behind in 6:13.08.

In the 3000m run, Chappell-Dick added a third 91����Ƶ record.�� She was the top D-III finisher with a time of 10:48.48, beating Andrea Good’s record of 10:51.49 from 2002 by just over three seconds.�� It was also the third-best time in the ODAC this year.

The only other Royals women running at the Liberty Open on Saturday were Chafin Brumfield (Harrisonburg, VA/Spotswood) and Juni Schirch (Goshen, IN/Goshen), and both set PRs in the 800m.�� Brumfield finished with a time of 2:33.67, taking ninth in 91����Ƶ history.�� Schirch charted 2:34.68, good for tenth in the program’s books.

The Eastern Mennonite teams head south again next weekend, participating at the JDL Fast Track Invite in Winston-Salem, NC.

“There is a new expectation of excellence,” he said, “and while we are still growing and have lots of room to improve, the mindset is one that is focused on being competitive and keeping the momentum going.�� Since so many of the cross country runners are also running track, it will be great to get the entire crew together and continue to pursue our goals.”

The track campaign starts with the indoor season opener this Saturday at the Liberty Kickoff in Lynchburg.�� It gets going in earnest after the upcoming Christmas break.

Lewkowicz is excited to see his team continue to grow in number and talent.�� The combined rosters totaled a mere 13 student-athletes the year before he took over the program.�� This year there are 40 men and women on the teams.

“Our team size has more or less doubled from last year which is a plus,” said Lewkowicz.�� “We have added a number of quality athletes that will help us be more competitive in the this year.�� There is a lot of energy with this group and the buzz that was created during the cross country season has carried over to our track team.�� We still lack depth is several critical areas but we will have a presence in most events which is exciting.”

Aside from all of the new faces on the roster this year, a big addition is the return of jumper Michael Allen (Fork Union, VA/Louisa County).�� In three previous seasons, he won multiple ODAC crowns as well as trips to the national meet.�� Allen is back for his senior campaign after missing last spring while studying off campus through 91����Ƶ’s cross cultural program.

“It is great to have someone like Michael on our team for a number of reasons,” explained Lewkowicz.�� “He brings natural leadership and has competed at a high level, so he knows what it takes.�� He is admittedly rusty after taking a year off but he is working hard with Coach (Britton) Olinger and is beginning to regain his form.�� The talent is there and the potential is immense, although everyone will have to be patient as he works his way back into top shape.”

As happened this fall with the cross country teams, an influx of new talent should challenge some school records and buoy the process of rebuilding the Eastern Mennonite track & field program.

“On the women’s side, we will be very strong in the middle distance events,” Lewkowicz said.�� “We have four freshmen women who have run a faster 800m time in high school than our current school record, so that is exciting.”

The coach pointed to his top cross country runner, (Bluffton, OH/Bluffton), to lead that group, saying that she has potential to become an NCAA qualifier during her time at 91����Ƶ.�� Lewkowicz also singled out the leadership and athleticism of senior (Berryville, VA/Clarke County), who is switching from middle distance to sprints and jumps this year.�� He also expects to see a few ODAC scorers from a strong crew of throwers.

“On the men’s side, it’s exciting to think about their potential to really make a jump in the ODAC rankings,” said Lewkowicz.

The Royals scored in the single digits in last year’s ODAC Championships.

Lewkowicz said that local product Richard Robinson (Broadway, VA/Broadway) could be one of the top freshmen hurdlers in the nation, with both he and Allen challenging for ODAC golds in their respective events.�� Dan Nafziger (Harrisonburg, VA/Harrisonburg) and Carlos Orellana (Grottoes, VA/Spotswood), the anchors of the cross country team, will also strengthen the distance group on the track team.

Other women Lewkowicz mentioned as likely to make some noise include: (Harrisonburg, VA/Spotswood) in the 400m and 800m, thrower (Waynesboro, VA/Waynesboro), middle distance runner (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Odgen) and (Harrisonburg, VA/Broadway) in the steeplechase.�� For the men, Lewkowicz also highlighted transfer Philip Watson (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle) and Jonathan Bush (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts), both in the 200m and 400m.

As they prepare for their first meet, team unity is proving to be a strength.

“It has been a short turnaround from the cross country season so we are working to bring the team together and get focused on our common goals of honoring God with our team while pursuing excellence in our endeavors,” Lewkowicz explained.�� “I am blessed with a dedicated and talented coaching staff and we are all on the same page in what it takes to prepare our athletes to compete at a high level.�� Our hope is that these fundamentals honed and the fitness gained over the fall will be maintained over the Christmas break so we can come out in January and continue to progress.”

While always brimming with optimism, Lewkowicz knows neither his men nor women have the depth to grab a team title at an ODAC meet this year.�� But he thinks a top four or five finish would be an encouraging sign of progress, both to his athletes and to the general public.

“We have a number of athletes with the potential to be All-ODAC or ODAC champions, and there are a few who have ambitions of qualifying for the NCAA Championships,” the coach said.�� “There are a number of school records that we expect to fall this year and we will be keeping track of them on our bulletin board outside of the athletics office.�� We’re hoping for weekly updates to it!”

He also expects those records to be celebrated by the entire team, as well as for them to have higher goals that might not be seen on paper.

“While (breaking records) are individual goals, so to speak, they are accomplishments that would be appreciated and shared by the team as a whole,” said Lewkowicz. ��“Our main non-quantitative goals are to be a team that holds itself to a high standard morally, and ethically, to maintain humility and integrity, and to seek to honor our great God in all that we do, win or lose.”