NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Record-setting performances in the 4x200 meter relay in men's and women's competition highlighted a solid showing by the Virginia Wesleyan College track teams at Christopher Newport University's indoor Captains Invitational.
Junior Shakiella Daniel (Suffolk/Lakeland), rookie Tiffany Lennon (Carrollton/Smithfield), senior Charnelle Adkins (Richmond/J.R. Tucker), and sophomore Shakira Mills (Hampton/Bethel) combined speeds to set the VWC women's record at 1:50.69. It topped the former record of 1:50.74 set in 2012, and was the top time among all Division III times in the race. Overall, the Marlin women record the top Division III times in seven events in the competition.
VWC's men also posted the top Division III time in the event as senior Randy Lott (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox), sophomore Chrishaud Hawkins (Capitol Heights, Md./Fairmont Heights), senior Stephen Cole (Vienna/Oakton), and sophomore John Chapman (Newport News/Hampton Christian) posted a time of 1:33.87. That wiped out VWC's previous record of 1:34.16 set in 2013.
Lott also competed in the 60 meter dash for the Marlins, finishing the race in a time of 7.00. That time is currently the fastest among all competitors in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and ranks 24th nationally.
A record fell for the VWC women in the same race as Mills posted a time of 8.11, breaking the former Marlin mark of 8.17 set by Adkins last year. Daniel came close to breaking her own mark in the 400 as she finished the race in a time of 1:00.85. She set the record in the event at 1:00.84 last year. The times set by Mills and Daniel are currently the second fastest in the ODAC. Daniel's time is also the 43rd fastest in the nation.
Junior Liz Wade (Chesapeake/Great Bridge) set the ODAC's second fastest time in the 3,000 meter run, finishing the race in a time of 10:58.89. She also ran a leg on the Marlins' distance medley relay which posted a time of 13:20.59, which is currently the 26th best time in the nation. Senior Autumn Watson (Rocky Mount/Franklin County), rookie Tiana Hughes (Stafford/Brooke Point), and Daniel were all part of the relay unit.
Daniel also competed on the 4x400 relay, which set the ODAC's second best time to date at 4:15.57. Senior Courtney Mebane (Virginia Beach/Tallwood), Hughes, and Watson were all members of the relay.
On the men's side, the distance medley relay of rookies Trevor Maloney (Houston, Del./Milford) and Trey White (Spotsylvania/Courtland), junior Hunter Melius (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee), and senior Darren Driscoll (Manassas/Battlefield) finished fourth in the race with a time of 11:02.91, which currently ranks 41st in the nation.
White was also a member of the 4x400 relay which set the ODAC's second fastest time to date at 3:30.40. Sophomore Marquis Sivels (Moyock, N.C./Norfolk Christian), junior Dan Elmore (Warrenton/Fauquier), and Lott also competed on that relay.
Virginia Wesleyan will compete again on Saturday, Feb. 8, returning to Newport News for the Christopher Newport Invitational.
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