The Waynesburg University men’s track, and field team competed in its first meet of the season in rainy conditions at the Marty Pushkin Invitational on March 21-22.

On the first day of competition, only three events were held—javelin, hammer throw and the 5,000-meter run. Three Waynesburg athletes competed, all in the men’s hammer throw. Jacob Harker made history with the second-farthest hammer throw in University history, recording a toss of 37.26 meters to finish 13th overall for the meet.

The second day of competition saw more action for the team. Harker continued to make his mark, finishing fifth in the men’s shot put with a throw of 14.27 meters. He also placed ninth in discus with a 40.19-meter throw. Teammate John Stewart finished eighth in discus with a 41.16-meter toss, while Ryan Zawislak placed 10th at 36.86 meters.

Despite the inclement weather, throwing coach Kevin Thacker was proud of his athletes’ performances in their first outdoor meet of the season.

“Although the weather wasn’t great for our meet, the men did a great job staying focused, staying positive and avoiding negative thoughts that could affect their performance,” Thacker said. “They stayed warm as best as they could and kept their bodies ready so they could perform to the best of their abilities in the given conditions.”

In other field events, Noah Jones placed fifth in the long jump with a leap of 5.97 meters.

On the track, graduate student Quintin Weaver added his name to the record books once again, running the fifth-fastest 1,500-meter time in school history. He placed seventh in a 43-man race and was the top Division III finisher.

The meet featured athletes from all NCAA divisions across Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Head coach Chris Hardie emphasized that strong competition makes for an ideal season opener.

“This was the first meet for a handful of our men, so I think competing in a meet with good competition will help them in their college journey,” Hardie said. “For the returning athletes, this level of competition allowed them to see where they stand early in the season and put everything in perspective.”

Rounding out the track events, Kyle Casella finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles, leading all Division III competitors in the event.

Despite the cold, rain and wind, Thacker views the meet as a valuable steppingstone for the rest of the season.

“Our team had high energy in practice and during indoor meets, but with the addition of javelin, hammer and discus, it really raises morale, energy and motivation,” Thacker said. “We have multiple throwers who can score in shot put and discus, break school records, become PAC champions and even qualify for nationals. The sky is the limit for this throws group.”

Hardie added that the team’s success would not have been possible without its strong leadership.

“I cannot say enough about the leadership I saw this weekend from our captains and coaches,” Hardie said. “The weather took a big turn mid-meet, and we had to really pull together and focus. They did that, and I am proud of our leaders and coaches for keeping morale and energy high.”

Up next, the team will travel to West Liberty University for the Tim Weaver Invitational on Saturday, March 29.