Along with the second-place finish, Chappell-Dick broke her own 91短视频 and ODAC records with a time of 4:54.32.

Senior thrower (Staunton, Va./Riverheads) finished 14th in the shot put, landing his best throw at 15.38m (50-5.50ft).

A record-setting performance

Chappell-Dick, meanwhile, beat her season best time of 4:59.10 by nearly five seconds, while also breaking the ODAC record of 4:56.37 which she set last year. She also finished second in the mile at the 2015 NCAA meet.

This is the fourth All-American award for Chappell-Dick, continuing a streak she started at last year’s meet. The senior finished third in the 1500m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last spring before coming in 17th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships earlier this fall.

After finishing second in her heat in Friday’s preliminaries with a time of 5:00.23, she sat in her seeded position of fourth for much of today’s finals in Grinnell, Iowa. Over the final lap, Chappell-Dick burst past two other women to take over second. She finished just ahead of MIT’s Maryann Gong, a friendly rival on the national stage, who took third in 4:54.67. Emily Gapinski pulled away over the final lap to win in 4:52.28.

Rising to new challenges

With his appearance on the national stage, Heizer closed out his senior season in impressive fashion. In just his third season ever of throwing, Heizer was also the ODAC Champion in the shot put and weight throw. In the shot put he threw an outstanding 15.81m (51-10.75ft) and improved his national standing to No. 25. Then in the weight throw he landed at 15.06m (49-5.25ft). Both PRs improved on his No. 2 spots in the 91短视频 record books.

He qualified for the national meet at the Tufts Final Qualifying Meet in Medford, Mass., where he set yet another PR in shot put by throwing a 16.26m (53-4.25ft). This bumped Heizer up to No. 15 in the nation and gained him a spot in the NCAA Championships.

For an athete who entered 91短视频 as a basketball player, Heizer’s performances in his second sport are remarkable. For the first two years of his career, Heizer was taught by former throwing coach Carissa Eichmeyer. This year however, he is being coached by first-year throwing coach Branden Vock.

Last week, Heizer and roommate Richard Robinson were named . 鈥淲e鈥檙e roommates and we鈥檙e best friends, we鈥檙e like brothers,” Heizer said, after returning from the Tufts meet.

At the Tufts meet, Robinson narrowly missed qualifying for the national meet, completing preliminaries of the 60m hurdles in 8.30 seconds. He could not finish the final race due to stumbling on a hurdle. Robinson was ranked No. 19 nationally. The top 15 in the nation earned a spot at Nationals.

At the ODAC Championships, he broke the championship and overall conference records by running a career best time of 8.28 seconds in the finals. He is the repeating 60m hurdles champion after also winning the 110m hurdles from last spring鈥檚 outdoor season.

All three senior athletes will compete in outdoor track.

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短视频 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.听 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.听 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.听 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.听 She is a biology major with minors in coaching, exercise science and honors.听 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.听 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.听 Then in the weight throw, he landed at 15.06m (49-5.25ft).听 Both improved on his No. 2 spots in the 91短视频 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.听 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).听 His PR distance was the third-best effort in 91短视频 history.

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

(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) earned third place in the 800m for All-ODAC Third Team status.听 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.听 He then took fifth in the 3000m with a time of 9:03.55.听 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.听 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.听 The sophomore’s PR also bumped him up to No. 8 in the 91短视频’s record books.听 Sampson also grabbed two points for taking seventh in the event at 51.47.听 He comes in at No. 9 in 91短视频 history.

The distance medley relay team added two points towards the team total with a seventh-place finish.听 (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.听 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.听 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.听 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.听 (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.听 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).听 Kittrell then settled for eighth in the long jump, sticking her best at 4.78m (15-8.25ft).听 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.听 The freshman’s PR improves her No. 2 time in the 91短视频 record books.

In the 400m, Williams also finished sixth.听 She was second in her heat, clocking at 1:02.54.听 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).

Town Hall on Race

91短视频 50 people attended the evening event. Facilitators from BSA asked participants to discuss in small groups two main questions.

• In what ways does racism and oppression affect the work of 91短视频?
• In what ways does racism and oppression affect the spirit of 91短视频?

Following the discussion, each group shared key points. Many groups answered both questions with negativity that they have seen around campus.

One group stated that college is a time of discovery, but being in an environment riddled with racism hinders the ability to truly discover oneself. Also mentioned was the feeling of forced relationships within the classroom due to race, which in turn affects the ability to work productively with classmates. Many groups also talked about microaggressions, which are everyday verbal or nonverbal slights or insults that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages 鈥� such as racist jokes.

鈥淢icroaggressions are products of prejudice and ignorance. Those experiences reach beyond race but affect us all,鈥� said senior Christian Parks, who helped to facilitate the event.

The groups were also asked to discuss what they believed would be a good way for 91短视频 to start instituting change in regards to racism and oppression. Some examples included hiring more people of color as faculty, and extending anti-racism and anti-oppression training in all institutional levels.

Participants were encouraged to attend BSA meetings on the second and fourth Thursday of every month in University Commons Room 124. Parks also mentioned the potential for a privilege-themed playback theater event in March, which would 鈥渙pen the space for white folks on campus to share their experiences of privilege as a way to continue the work of understanding how privilege impacts work and spirit at 91短视频.鈥�

First-year student Kendi Mwongo said the meeting was 鈥渂eneficial,鈥� and she would support it in the current format on a monthly basis.

The challenge of committing to racial justice

Drew Hart, an author and doctoral candidate at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, spoke at a Thursday evening lecture titled 鈥淲hy Have So Many Christians Been So Wrong for So Long?: Racial Formation and Counterintuitive Solidarity.鈥� He also offered a Friday morning chapel forum on the topic 鈥淟earning to Love Black People, 鈥� drawing from Hebrews 11:23-28.

Hart said that an 鈥渆pistemological divide鈥� exists between people鈥檚 understandings of race and racism, with different paths and circles of socialization leading to seeing the same event 鈥渇rom very different perspectives.鈥�

鈥淲e have very different ways of understanding, narrating and responding to race in America,鈥� Hart said. 鈥淭ake note of what鈥檚 unique and different about the culture that shaped you.鈥�

He noted that while things have certainly changed in the past four centuries of American history, the country hasn鈥檛 鈥渕agically delivered on social justice.鈥� Instead, the issues have 鈥渕utated into different forms,鈥� and maintained a racialized and hierarchical framework. Going forward, he pointed to the 鈥淛esus-shaped, counter-intuitive way鈥� that is 鈥渄rawn to the those on the margins of society鈥� and empowers them and seeks to end domination.

Hart, who has a blog titled 鈥溾�� hosted by The Christian Century, uses the hashtag #anablacktivism. He followed up Friday鈥檚 chapel time with a talkback session and signed copies of his most recent book, Trouble I鈥檝e Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (published by Herald Press), while on campus.

For the men,听听(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听听(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock),听听(Winchester, Va./Millbrook),听听(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) and Thibodeaux destroyed the program record in the distance medley relay.听 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,听听(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) and听听(Salem, Va./Salem) had the seventh-best time in 91短视频 history at 3:28.34.

Denlinger set his indoor PR in the 800m, stopping the watch at 1:56.50.听 He moves to the second-best time in the event in 91短视频 history.听 Luke Yoder set the record of 1:55.84 in 2007.听 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.听 Faint, a sophomore, clocked at 51.41 to win his heat and earn 21st overall.听 Faint PRed with the effort and moved up two spots to No. 8 in the 91短视频 history books.听 Sampson, a freshman, knocked 0.01 of his PR to take sole possession of No. 9 in the books at 51.65.

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

听(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) improved upon his 91短视频 No. 2 distance in the weight throw.听 His best toss landed at 14.87m (48-9.5ft), an improvement of more than two feet.听 Nathan Turner holds the 91短视频 record at 15.77m (51-9ft).听 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,听听(Broadway, Va./Broadway) crossed in 8.78 while听听(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) came in at 8.96.

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

听(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短视频 history at 12.83m (42-1.25ft).

Meanwhile on the women’s side,听听(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) put herself fourth in the nation in the mile run with her time of 5:02.05.听 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.听 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.听听听(King George, Va./King George) had a PR of 2:30.74, jumping herself to No. 6 on the all-time 91短视频 charts.听 贵谤别蝉丑尘补苍听听(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短视频 history, and听听(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) came in at 2:33.60.

In the 3000m,听听(Dover, Ohio/Dover) crossed in 10:34.38.听 厂别苍颈辞谤听听(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听听(Bedford, Va./Liberty) was the lone 91短视频 representative.听 She just missed her indoor PR in the triple jump, landing at 10.55m (34-7.5ft).听 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.

A crowd of about 200 enjoyed the game, cheering on both the Kingz and their opponents, a team made up of faculty, staff, alumni and students.

The event was billed as the 91短视频 Charity Classic by the (BSU), which hosted the game and an after-party later that night. More than 150 tickets were sold, with the funds going towards an alternative spring break trip planned jointly by BSU, the 91短视频 Gospel Choir, and .

鈥淚 really love how the game brought a lot of energy to 91短视频,鈥� said sophomore Anna Messer. 鈥淚t was a great time for students to get together with professors and with each other. It was a good community event for people to just let loose and have fun.鈥�

Crowd-pleasing hoops

The Streetball Kingz is a group managed by Dewey Jackson, based in Delaware. The team plays across the U.S. for community and nonprofit events. Their flashy style of play incorporates crowd-pleasing dunks, top-notch ball handling, and supreme shooting.

The fundraiser was quickly put together and gained momentum after the Streetball Kingz, just weeks before, contacted , director of , about coming to 91短视频 since they had already played at James Madison University and Bridgewater College. Lepley passed along the idea to BSU student advisor .

鈥淲e wanted to do something that would be fun and late night so that students would have an option of doing something that鈥檚 substance free,鈥� said Thomas. 鈥淲e thought it would bring a lot of energy to the campus and it was something new. I think we did well taking a risk and trying something different.鈥�

鈥淚t always feels good to see hard work pay off,鈥� said BSU event coordinator Richard Robinson, 鈥渆specially for an event like this that has never happened on 91短视频鈥檚 campus.鈥�

The fundraiser will help defray costs of an alternative spring break civil rights experiential learning trip to Alabama and Georgia.

鈥淚nstead of going to the beach, we鈥檒l be going to Selma, Tuskegee and Atlanta doing a civil rights tour,鈥� said Thomas. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the 51st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, so we鈥檒l walk across the Pettus Bridge, stop by national civil rights museums along the way, and go to some of the churches that they marched from. We鈥檒l visit Martin Luther King Jr. father鈥檚 church, go to MLK鈥檚 church in Montgomery, and also where Rosa Parks got on the bus from her job and decided not to sit in the back of the bus.鈥�

Team brings families and communities together

Streetball Kingz player Randy Gill, aka White Chocolate, splashed three three-pointers within the first five minutes of the game and they did not stop coming. A crowd pleaser, Gill interacted with the fans the entire time.

Following a collegiate career at Bowie State University, Gill started playing streetball and minor league basketball. He was eventually asked to play overseas, and since his return, has been playing for the Streetball Kingz.

Gill explained that the mission of his team is to support youth, and to bring families and communities together.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if there are 20,000 people or even 100 people. We鈥檙e here to spread the love, bring the community together, and have a good time,鈥� he said. 鈥淲henever there鈥檚 a cause or a mission and we can help bring the people together that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about. We want young people to believe in themselves and let them know that they can do anything they want to if they practice their craft, whatever it may be. My mission is believe to achieve.鈥�

More BSU events

This month, BSU will be hosting a Nov. 18 chapel with the theme of #BlackLivesMatter. On Dec. 11, BSU will be joining the Campus Activities Council to host the .

鈥淲e鈥檙e expecting about 150 people for the ball,鈥� said Thomas. 鈥淲e鈥檝e contacted a band called Ebony Blue, and that will be another large event before we leave for winter break. When we come back we鈥檒l have a week-long celebration for MLK in January, then in February we鈥檒l have Kwanzaa for Black History Month, and finally the trip will be in March. We鈥檙e trying to expose the campus to different things. 鈥�

A version of this article was first printed in Nov. 5, 2015, issue of The Weather Vane.

听(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) helped to highlight the day as he pointed in a couple of events.听 The sophomore had a short lead on a handful of finishers to win the 800m as he crossed in 1:55.02.听 It was easily Thibodeaux’s season best time, although more than a second and a half off his PR from last year.听 The second place runner came in at 1:55.86 while teammate听听(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) was third in 1:55.99, earning All-ODAC Third Team honors.

Thibodeaux then came in fourth in the 1500m with a PR time of 4:02.38, putting him fourth in the 91短视频 history books as well.听听听(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) destroyed his PR and won his heat by six seconds to take sixth place in the event in 4:08.29.

贵谤别蝉丑尘补苍听听(Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) made a dazzling debut in the javelin, coming from the fourth seed to win gold with a PR throw of 50.10m (164-4ft).听 He moves to No. 5 all-time at 91短视频.

The men also had some great finishes in the hurdles.听 The Royals went 1-and-3 in the 400m hurdles, as freshman听听(Winchester, Va./Millbrook) claimed the gold.听 Faint’s winning time was 54.23, a PR for him and fifth in 91短视频 history.听 Junior听听(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) also staked his PR, taking third place in the race in 57.04 and putting him at No. 10 in the 91短视频 books.

听(Broadway, Va./Broadway) pulled away at the finish of the 110m hurdles, grabbing gold and All-ODAC First Team with a time of 15.30.听 His PR moved him to No. 3 all-time at 91短视频 in the event.听听听(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) had a gritty effort to claim fourth in the race in 16.25.

听(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) earned a silver in the shot put.听 The big man landed at 14.39m (47-2.5ft), crushing his outdoor PR and moving to No. 2 in 91短视频 history.听 He earned All-ODAC Second Team honors with the throw and was just six inches short of first place at 14.54m (47-8.5ft).

The Royals had two point-takers in the high jump.听听听(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite), who entered as the favorite in the event, settled for a bronze finish.听 He took third based on jumps, tying his season best at 1.91m (6-3.25ft).听 Faint was sixth at 1.73m (5-8.0ft), setting his PR.

Faint also took a point in the triple jump, earning sixth by a single millimeter with his PR at 13.07m (42-10.75ft).听 He moves in ninth all-time at 91短视频 as well.

贵谤别蝉丑尘补苍听听(Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass) took fifth in a tight finals of the 200m dash.听 After standing in eighth after the prelims, Dews clocked a 22.55 PR in the finals, with all of the top six finished within 0.47 seconds of each other.

Nisly grabbed the final point in the 3000m steeplechase, leading a group of four 91短视频 runners in sixth place with a tie of 10:19.04.

In the relays, the 4x100m squad of听听(Freeman, S.D./Freeman Academy), Dews,听听(Ashburn, Va./Briar Woods) and听听(Appomattox, Va./Appomattox) earned fourth place with a time of 44.05.听 The 4x400m foursome of Dews, Faint, Bush and Denlinger came in fifth in 3:22.50.

The men racked up 86 points to comfortably finish in third place for their highest outdoor finish since 2006.听 Bridgewater won the men’s title with 154 points while Lynchburg was second with 132.听 Washington and Lee was behind the Royals with 66 tallies.

Women Stand Fourth At ODACs And Win Individual Honors

Highlighted by four gold medals, the 91短视频 track and field women earned their highest finish at the ODAC Outdoor Championships in nine year.听 The meet was hosted by Bridgewater College Friday and Saturday.

To no one’s surprise,听听(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) and听听(Dover, Ohio/Dover) led the charge for the women, with each winning two gold medals with their All-ODAC First Team status.

Chappell-Dick won the 800m and 1500m, breaking the ODAC Championships record in the 800m.听 In the two-lap race she had a pair of Bridgewater runners hanging near her, but not enough to challenge for top honors.听 Chappell-Dick won in a time of 2:13.64, breaking the meet record of 2:13.91 set by Roanoke’s Carmen Graves two years ago.

In the 1500m, the All-American was her usual self, leading the pack in 4:46.81.听 While a comfortable pace off her PR, it was still good enough to give Chappell-Dick the win by more than three seconds.听 Lehman actually crossed fourth in the race in 4:53.38.

Lehman was then dominant in the two distance events.听 In the 5000m she broke away from the pack early and strided her way to a facility record time of 18:03.55, breaking the old mark by more than 37 seconds.听 Teammate听听(St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden) claimed the silver with a second place finish at the ODAC meet, timing at 19:02.62.

Lehman ran a great race to win the 10,000m Friday night.听 The freshman ran with the pack for most of the race, before making her move with two laps to go.听 Lehman made a quick pass of Roanoke’s Kerri Dalton to take over the lead, and then bolted away with more than a 19-second margin over the final 800m.听 Lehman’s winning time was another facility-record 39:01.45, a comfortable win over Dalton’s 39:20.83.听 Paden stayed with the lead group most of that race as well and came in fifth with a time of 40:03.77.

听(Bedford, Va./Liberty) completed a great first season in the jumping events.听 She took fourth in the long jump, landing a PR jump at 5.27m (17-3.5ft), less than an inch behind the All-ODAC status of third place at 5.29m (17-4.25ft).听 The distance also bumped her up to No. 3 in 91短视频 history.听 In the triple jump, Kittrell grabbed another fourth place finish, totaling 10.72m (35-2ft).

厂别苍颈辞谤听听(Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) was one of four women to break the facility record in the hammer throw.听 She claimed fourth with a landing at 44.10m (144-5ft), within sight of Bridgewater’ Katelyn Senger in third with 44.18m (144-11ft).听 It was a huge PR for Bane, upping her own school record, which had been 39.28m (128-10ft).听 Bane added a point to the team total in the discus, taking sixth with a season best of 31.00m (101-8ft).

Chappell-Dick also earned some points in this high jump.听 In just her second-ever effort in the event, the junior tied for fourth by clearing 1.51m (4-11.5ft).

听(Peninsula, Wash./Gig Harbor) was sixth in the javelin, as the junior landed at 30.97m (101-7ft) and inched up her PR and No. 2 spot in the 91短视频 history books.

贵谤别蝉丑尘补苍听听(Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula) grabbed a point in the 3000m steeplechase.听 She earned sixth place with a time of 13:07.23.

The 4x400m relay team of听听(King George, Va./King George), Chappell-Dick,听听(Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) and听听(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) claimed fourth, just missing All-ODAC status, with a time of 4:04.41.听 The 4x100m group of听听(East Norriton, Pa./Christopher Dock), Chappell-Dick, Kittrell, and McKinsey was sixth with a time of 52.16.

The Royals had 77 points as a team, earning fourth place overall for their highest team finish since 2006.听 Roanoke won the women’s side with 156 points, followed by Bridgewater at 105 and Washington and Lee at 91.听 Lynchburg and Virginia Wesleyan were tied for fifth behind 91短视频 with 63.

The ODAC Championships meet completes the main season for the Eastern Mennonite track teams.听 Now the focus turns to twilight meets and preparing for hopeful runs at the NCAA National Championships in late May.听 The next meet scheduled for the Royals is the Liberty Twilight Qualifier on April 29.

Individual Awards
The Royals picked up a trio of individual honors at the ODAC Championships as well.听听Kat Lehman听was named the Rookie of the Year, winning two events and looking for another trip to the national meet after going in cross country and indoor track as well.

Hannah Chappell-Dick听made it a sweep of the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete awards, as she also claimed that honor in cross country and indoor track.听 Chappell-Dick recently added an All-American title to her name after finishing second in the mile at the national indoor meet to go with a 3.86 GPA as a biology major.

Coach Jason Lewkowicz听was named the ODAC Coach of the Year, as he was recognized for his work with the women in picking up his first ODAC award in his final season with the Royals.

Freshman distance runner听听(Dover, Ohio/Dover) cemented her status as an elite athlete, breaking 91短视频’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短视频 record of 18:10.40, set in December.

颁濒补蝉蝉尘补迟别听听(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短视频’s history books.

In the 4x400m relay, the women’s foursome of听听(King George, Va./King George),听听(Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood),听听(Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) and听听(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.听听(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.

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

For the Eastern Mennonite men,听听(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) had a monster toss in the shot put.听 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短视频 history and with the second-best throw in the ODAC this season.听 He was also solid in the weight throw, landing at 11.93m (39-1.75ft)

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

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

The duo also ran in the mile.听 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.

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

听(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.听听听(Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass), Bush, Denlinger and Faint combined for the No. 7 time in 91短视频 history.

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

听(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 year before he came, those programs at 91短视频 were hanging on by a thread. The men鈥檚 cross country team had just three members 鈥� not even enough to score as a team at a meet. The women鈥檚 roster was just two names long. Track and field wasn鈥檛 in much better shape, with less than 10 athletes on the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 teams combined.

Through the coaching grapevine, though, Lewkowicz鈥檚 phone number had ended up in the hands of 91短视频 athletics director Dave King. Soon, Lewkowicz was flying out to visit. Geography was on 91短视频鈥檚 side 鈥� Lewkowicz鈥檚 wife, Wendy, is from Roanoke, Virginia, just a two-hour drive away. In the summer of 2011, he reported for duty as the new head cross country and track coach.

His Lord leads, Lewkowicz follows

鈥淣one of the places we鈥檝e lived are places I would have chosen to live,鈥� says Lewkowicz, who talks freely and often about his Christian faith. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been led from place to place.鈥�

The first season, he told his athletes that they would be laying the foundations for new and improved track and cross country programs. It was a fundamental task that very few would likely appreciate once the whole house had been built. The cross country teams didn鈥檛 do well at the conference meet, but they actually had enough runners to score as a team 鈥� itself a step in the right direction. The track team finished last at the conference meets, both for the indoor and outdoor seasons. 鈥淗umbling鈥� is the word Lewkowicz uses to describe that first year. Success, though, isn鈥檛 something he measures only by points and scores.

鈥淲e want God to be glorified in everything that we do,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat can be done in victory or defeat all the same.鈥�

Pursuing excellence, glorifying God

Lewkowicz鈥檚 coaching philosophy involves a general pursuit of excellence everywhere, be it in an early-morning biology class, in cross country practice later that afternoon, and on the race course on Saturday.

鈥淚n life, there are only really two things you can control: your effort and your attitude,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hatever moment you鈥檙e in, be present in that moment that God鈥檚 called you to be in.鈥�

Some moments, like perhaps that biology class, can significantly shape life and career in years to come. Be excellent. Others, like an early season track meet, particularly if you鈥檙e a middle-of-the-pack NCAA Division III runner, aren鈥檛 probably going to carry quite the same significance. Still be excellent.

Deep roster now

The numbers alone show that Lewkowicz鈥檚 athletes are responding to his approach and his enthusiasm. This fall, the cross country roster runs close to 40 deep, and about 30 runners travel to meets. Ohio and Pennsylvania have been great recruiting grounds for distance runners. Lewkowicz has had his best luck here in Virginia for other track athletes.

鈥淗e has brought a vision for what the program can become, the knowledge of how to get there, and the energy and work ethic to do it,鈥� says King, who recruited him to 91短视频.

Lewkowicz鈥檚 athletes also value the individual attention and support they receive, even for interests that can conflict with sports.

Not just one’s athletic ability

鈥淸91短视频] made me feel like a person rather than an athlete,鈥� says Richard Robinson, a junior who runs hurdles for Lewkowicz. 鈥淚 chose to come here because of that.鈥�

A star in high school, Robinson was humbled by a last-place finish in his first collegiate race. Lewkowicz told him he鈥檇 just collected some 鈥渉umble swag.鈥� Everybody needs some, the coach said.

鈥淗e just feels great to be around,鈥� adds Robinson.

Jolee Paden, a junior on the cross country and track teams, first met Lewkowicz at a running camp while she was in high school. The two kept in touch, and when Lewkowicz came to 91短视频 for the job, Paden found herself considering a school she鈥檇 never heard of before. The school鈥檚 cross-cultural programs sealed the deal for her. Study abroad is so ingrained at 91短视频 that athletes are supported by their coaches even when they鈥檒l miss an entire season of competition, as Paden did when she went to the Middle East during the spring of her sophomore year.

Student inspired to write book

While on the trip, Paden was inspired to complete a writing project that had been several years in the making: a collection of devotionals for runners (Spiritual Runner: A Runner After God鈥檚 Own Heart). The Lewkowicz-inspired philosophy of the cross country and track teams is scattered throughout the book, in sections like the one encouraging runners to step onto the course acting like it鈥檚 the most important thing in the world, but knowing that it鈥檚 not.

鈥淭hat is something he says that has really stuck with me over the years,鈥� she says.

Lewkowicz ran track and cross country in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina, before walking onto the track team at Appalachian State University as a high jumper. He finished a history degree, then stayed for a master鈥檚 in higher education administration. Within a few years, he鈥檇 become the director of residence life at the University of Virginia at Wise; to get himself out of the office, he started coaching the cross country team. Somewhere along the way, he 鈥済ot the coaching bug鈥� and, before long, was looking around for full-time positions.

Then came the move to Hannibal, and then, when things fell into place at 91短视频, the Lewkowiczes made yet another long-distance move. Jason and his wife, Wendy, had two sons when they moved to Missouri. They had three when they moved to Virginia, and now, they have four between the ages of 1 and 10.

French-Jewish Holocaust heritage

Lewkowicz鈥檚 father was born in France to Jewish Holocaust survivors who later emigrated to America. His Cherokee biological mother left when he was 5, and Lewkowicz was later adopted by his father’s subsequent wife, whom he considers his mom. (His paternal grandparents eventually returned to France, and Lewkowicz spent many summers at their home on the Mediterranean coast.)

The family wasn鈥檛 religious. Lewkowicz discovered Christianity through an older sister and her husband. Before he was old enough to drive himself to church, he often spent Saturday nights at their place so he could accompany them to church the next morning. Eventually, he says with evident joy, his parents became believers. Now in Harrisonburg, he and his family have joined Aletheia Church, where Lewkowicz is involved in music on Sundays.

鈥淚 see this as a ministry,鈥� he says, of his coaching. 鈥淢y job is to show the love of God to my athletes.鈥�

Wrestling with questions

The Mennonite approach to Christianity was new to him. He has discovered pluses (singing, peacebuilding, working with the marginalized), yet he voices a desire 鈥渢o feel certain that Christ is always at the center of the university鈥檚 mission.鈥� He and his runners wrestle with these sorts of things sometimes on runs.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 expect perfection,鈥� he adds, referring to the 91短视频 community. 鈥淚鈥檓 not perfect.鈥� Overall, he feels the three years and counting that he鈥檚 been at 91短视频 have been rewarding.

鈥淗e鈥檚 very interested in engaging in dialogue,鈥� says King. 鈥淚 really appreciate that about him.鈥�

Back to the whole excellence thing. In 2013, the women鈥檚 cross country team finished second in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship meet. The men were fourth.

Things are looking a little more excellent in the performance department. Sights are set on conference titles. And on the third Saturday in September, at the Shenandoah Valley Invitational, the women鈥檚 cross country team achieved the ultimate in cross country excellence: , earning a rare and perfect score of 15.

Editor’s note: Originally posted 10/03/14, this article was slightly revised on 10/07/14, with the concurrence of Jason Lewkowicz.

Women’s track and field

Sophomore听听(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) highlighted the 91短视频 track & field women at the ODAC Championships as she won two individual titles and broke a record.听 Roanoke College hosted the conference’s title meet in Salem, Va.

Chappell-Dick claimed a pair of gold medals with the resulting All-ODAC First Team status.听 In the 1500m, Chappell-Dick had a huge PR to break the ODAC Championships record.听 The sophomore crossed in 4:38.61, out-pacing rival Annalise Madison of Washington and Lee by a full second.听 Both runners broke the meet record of 4:43.08, set by All-American Carmen Graves in 2012.听 It was also an 91短视频 record for Chappell-Dick, who easily broke her own mark of 4:47.12 from last spring.

Chappell-Dick and Madison went head-to-head again in the 800m, with Chappell-Dick again coming out on top.听 She ran off her 91短视频 record time, but still cleared the field by three seconds with a time of 2:18.31.听 Teammate听听(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) had a great race and PRed in 2:25.23.听 She finished eighth and just missed pointing by a mere nine-tenths of a second.

In the javelin,听听(Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula) just missed All-ODAC honors with a fourth-place finish.听 Borg’s best spear landed at 29.32m to just edge out W&L’s Leigh Dannhauser on her final effort.

The 4x400m relay team grabbed sixth, as听听(Puyallup, Wash./Mountainview International), Schirch,听听(Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) and Chappell-Dick combined to time at 4:27.36.

听(Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) snuck a point in the discus, finishing sixth at 31.45m.

厂别苍颈辞谤听听(Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) finished her career well, setting her PR in the 5000m with a time of 19:29.20.听 Similar to Schirch, Rittenhouse finished eighth, with the top six in each event earning points to the team total.

The Royals totaled 26 points to finished seventh out of nine teams at the meet.听 Roanoke won the team title with 150.33 points.

Men’s track and field

It was almost expected, but the 91短视频 men’s track & field team made a clean sweep of the high jump medals at the 2014 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship meet.听 Roanoke hosted the two-day event in Salem, Va., on Friday and Saturday.

91短视频 entered the ODAC Championships with three of the top four heights in the high jump during the season.听 They made it a top-three sweep.听听听(Dalton, Ohio/Central Christian) earned his fourth consecutive indoor and outdoor title, as the senior had no problem in clearing 2.04m (6-8.25ft) to win the meet and set a new 91短视频 record.听听听(Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) had the most surprising finish, claiming the silver at 2.02m (6-7.5ft).听 Moore recently joined the team after the completion of the men’s volleyball season a few weeks ago.听 Sophomore听听(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) was third at 1.91m (6-3.25ft).听 All three claim All-ODAC status, and each also have a shot at qualifying for the national meet.

听(Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) just claimed a spot in the finals of the 400m dash, standing sixth after the preliminaries with a time of :50.41.听 The freshman then set his PR in the finals, finishing fourth with a time of :50.20.

听(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) took points in the 3000m steeplechase, earning fifth with a time of 10:19.7.

The 4x400m relay team of听听(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts), Winters,听听(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) and听(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) was fifth as well, combining for a time of 3:25.08 and a photo finish ahead of Roanoke’s time of 3:25.13.

Thibodeaux and听听(Perkasie, Pa./ Christopher Dock) continued their season-long efforts at pushing each other in the 800m.听 Thibodeaux crossed sixth to grab the final point toward the team total, timing at 1:57.88.听 He was just three-tenths of a second from jumping into fourth place.听 Denlinger then took seventh place in 1:58.33.

听(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) set his PR by more than seven seconds in the 5000m run, crossing in 15:26.11 to take sixth place.听 颁濒补蝉蝉尘补迟别听听(Sterling, Ill./Sterling) was one position behind him with a time of 15:37.21.

听(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) and听听(Broadway, Va./Broadway) each qualified for the finals of 110m hurdles, with Cox grabbing sixth place in :16.07.

听(Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) was one spot from pointing in the 10,000m run, crossing seventh in 34:22.97.

听(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) topped his PR on three different efforts in the shot put, and finished eighth with his best heave at 12.38m (40-7.4ft).听 He also destroyed his PR in the discus, landing at 34.12m (111-11.3ft).

Eastern Mennonite finished seventh in a very tight grouping in the men’s team standings.听 91短视频 had 35 points, but was within three points of fourth-place Roanoke at 38.听 Virginia Wesleyan was fifth with 37 while Shenandoah was sixth at 36.

This was the final meet of the year for most of the Royals, although a few athletes will stick around in efforts to prepare for a potential trip to the NCAA National Championships, which are May 22-24 in Delaware, Ohio.听 The first meet scheduled as part of that stretch run is the Liberty Twilight Qualifier on Wednesday, April 30.

“I’m really excited to see growth in our track & field program this year,” Lewkowicz said.听 “We have a lot of talented newcomers on the men’s side and a number of All-ODAC performers returning for the women. 听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.听 For the men, (Dalton, Oh./Central Christian) will look to improve on his incredible growth from last year.听 As a junior transfer, King was talked into trying the high jump by Lewkowicz.听 In his first-ever campaign in the event, King won both the indoor and outdoor ODAC titles, and also broke the 91短视频 outdoor record.听 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.听 “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.听 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.听 For the women, sophomore (Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) was third in 800m outdoor race, finishing just behind Chappell-Dick.听 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.听 Another sophomore, (Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula), was third in the javelin last spring to round out 91短视频’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).听 Garber earned the No. 3 spot in the 91短视频 record books in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump as a freshman in 2011, but took the last two years off.听 For men, (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) will help push King in the high jump.听 Last year as a freshman, he broke the school’s indoor high jump record before King took it over.听 Cross country standouts (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) and (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) will lead the distance group.

91短视频’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.听 “ (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.听 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.听 “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.听 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.听 “We have a lot of newcomers, some folks returning from/leaving for cross culturals, and some returning from injuries.听 Getting everyone on the same page and focused on the same goals is always a priority.听 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.听 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短视频’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.听 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.听 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.听 “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.听 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.听 He is the giver of all good gifts and we want to honor Him in all that we do.”

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

Chappell-Dick again responded with her best running against the best athletes. The freshman ran the 800m in a heat of D-I Virginia Tech athletes, and flew across the finish line in 2:13.19, shaving more than a full second off of her 91短视频 record time. Chappell-Dick had timed a 2:14.34 in March at the George Mason Invite.听 She finished third at the twilight meet, crossing in front of five Hokie runners.

With the NCAA Outdoor National Championships approaching on May 23-25, Chappell-Dick is 17th in the nation in the 800m. The top 22 times at the end of the season will qualify for nationals.

Senior (Fork Union, Va./Louisa County) topped the field in the triple jump and upped his season best distance for the third straight time. Allen totaled 13.61m on his best attempt.听 He still has some work to do to qualify for nationals for a final time, as the No. 22 jumper in the nation has a distance of 14.29m.

(Broadway, Va./Broadway) ran in the 110m hurdles and clocked a time of 15.75. He missed his PR, which is 15.50.

The Royals will have one more chance to improve their times for national consideration on Monday, when they head to the Swat Final Qualifying Meet, hosted by Swarthmore in Chester, Pa.

(Broadway, VA/Broadway) took second in the 100m hurdles while also charting the No. 5 run in 91短视频 history.听 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.听 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.听 He just missed the gold to RC’s Trevor Hunt at 11.43.听 He also won the 200m dash, ahead of teammate (Fork Union, VA/Louisa County).听 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).听 Nafziger’s winning time was 4:17.04, while Parker came in at 4:23.00.听 (Mount Joy, PA/Donegal) took sixth place in 4:35.61.

Nafziger and Parker also highlight the 800m.听 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短视频 team in the 4x100m took second and charted the No. 7 time in 91短视频 history.听 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短视频 time, but did manage to win the event at the meet.听 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.听 Vrolijk ended up second based on jumps, while King settled for fourth.

Allen won the long jump and took second in the triple jump.听 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.听 He won the javelin with a fling of 47.40m, the No. 7 distance in the 91短视频 record books.听 Sloan took third in the hammer throw with the No. 6 measurement in 91短视频 history at 32.15m.听 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.听 Brumfield won the 800m run in 2:30.35, with Paden taken second in 2:32.77.听 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.听 Her time of 5:05.15 earned the gold and the No. 8 spot in the program records.听 Brumfield also grabbed a No. 8 all-time spot in the 400m.听 She finished third at the meet in 1:03.19.

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

Alyssa Bane (Strasburg, VA/Strasburg) also earned points in the throws.听 She just missed her PR in the hammer throw, taking fifth at 31.18m.听 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.听 Host Roanoke easily won with 243 points.

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

“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.听 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.听 It gets going in earnest after the upcoming Christmas break.

Lewkowicz is excited to see his team continue to grow in number and talent.听 The combined rosters totaled a mere 13 student-athletes the year before he took over the program.听 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.听 “We have added a number of quality athletes that will help us be more competitive in the this year.听 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.听 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).听 In three previous seasons, he won multiple ODAC crowns as well as trips to the national meet.听 Allen is back for his senior campaign after missing last spring while studying off campus through 91短视频’s cross cultural program.

“It is great to have someone like Michael on our team for a number of reasons,” explained Lewkowicz.听 “He brings natural leadership and has competed at a high level, so he knows what it takes.听 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.听 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.听 “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短视频.听 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.听 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.听 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.听 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.听 “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.听 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.听 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.听 “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.听 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. 听“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.”