Alston Leads Men's Track and Field at Wagner College Invite Friday

The Central Connecticut men's indoor track and field team competed for the first time as a team inside Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, NY for the Wagner College Invitational. CCSU's outstanding hurdle expert, Edwin Alston, started the 2018 indoor season off with a first place finish in the 60 meter hurdles. Alston ran a top time of 8.01 seconds ahead of Wagner's Dylan Beard who finished at 8.16 seconds.

Senior Tyler Latham placed sixth in the 60 meter hurdle finals with a time of 8.47 seconds. Junior Franklin Bartley Jr. ran an 8.83 preliminary time but did not qualify.

Fourth-year Sam Borecki scratched in a first place jump-off at 4.70 meters with Wagner's Noel Del Cerro to end up in second place after clearing 4.60 meters. Rookie Gordon Perrett pole vaulted to 3.55 meters high in his first collegiate event.

Freshman Amaziah Gadson had himself an outstanding performance in the high jump after tying for second place with a team best jump of 1.95 meters. Sophomore Kevorni Welsh fell into an eight-way tie for fourth place in addition to matching his personal best jump of 1.90 meters. Rookie Jayson Williams also competed in the event hitting the 1.85 meter mark, good for a six-way tie for 10^th place.

Rookie Akiel Smith took third in the 60 meter dash, crossing the finish line at 6.96 seconds and first year Laurenzo Thompkins ran a 55.69 time in the 400 meter dash as the lone Blue Devil athletes in their respective events.

Freshman Jonathan Gill was the sixth finisher in the 800 meter run after completing the race in 1:56.08. Arrendondo ran a time of 2:01.33.

Latham recorded his second sixth place finish of the meet with a 6.62 meter spring in the long jump. The Blue Devils entered six total long jumpers, the most in any event. Sophomore Marquis Ward took 11^th place (6.39m), classmates Evan Walker and Jarred Creech fell into 19^th place (6.28m) and 21^st place (6.23m).

Junior Mike Lang and sophomore Jack St. Clair ended side-by-side in the finals standings with long jumps .02 meters apart from each other. Lang tied in 24^th (6.14m) and St. Clair took 26^th place (6.12m).

Ward shined in the triple jump, placing sixth with a NEC-best and personal best jump of 13.90 meters. Creech leapt 13.10 meters good for 10^th place and rookie Trevor Glymph took 13^th with a jump of 12.79 meters.

In the shot put, sophomore Nana Kissi took 19^th overall with a throw of 12.35 meters, recording a new personal record. Freshman Jack Godfrey placed close behind in 21^st place with a throw of 12.70 meters. The two also competed in the weight throw, Kissi took 28^th place (11.14m) and Godfrey placed 40^th (9.15m).

Junior Matt Baum placed 19^th in the 500 meter dash as the only CCSU runner. Rookie Darius Wise claimed 16^th place in the 200 meter dash, coming in at 23.24 seconds.

Senior Austin Trainor led the Blue Devils in the mile run, placing 18^th overall with a time of 4:23.36. Sophomore Julio Arredondo was next to finish for CCSU at the 4:35.77 mark in 37^th place followed by junior Adonys Langual in 40^th place who competed for the first time collegiately with a time of 4:40.99. Freshman David Kerns (4:44.63), senior Kyle Welch (5:00.14) and freshman Chris Dency (5:00.29) rounded out the six Central mile runners.

Distance runners, sophomore Roberto Piotto and junior Alex Norstrom paced Central in the 3K and senior Ryan Hertzog ran a 9:26.07 time. Piotto came in 11^th place (8:49.77) and Norstrom proceeded in 13^th place at the 8:52.52 mark.

Gill, Latham, Trainor and Borecki finished the day with the 4x400 meter relay and combined for a time off 3:27.12.

The Blue Devils pick back up on Saturday, January 13^th where they will take part in the Yale Collegiate Invitational inside the Coxe Cage in New Haven, CT.