NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Virginia Wesleyan College's 4x100 relay units retained their positions as two of the top quartets in the nation Saturday by improving progam record times at the Commonwealth Duals hosted by Christopher Newport University.
John Chapman (Newport News/Hampton Christian), Ethan Fowlkes (Quinton/New Kent), Stephen Cole (Vienna/Oakton), and Randy Lott (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox) finished second in the race in a time of 42.03, steps behind Christopher Newport's 42.00 finish. The Marlins improved their previous record of 42.33 set at the Wake Forest Open in the season opener. VWC's current time is the sixth fastest time in the nation.
The VWC women placed first in the event with a time of 49.02, nipping CNU which finished second at 49.04. Courtney Mebane (Virginia Beach/Tallwood), Shakira Mills (Hampton/Bethel), Tiana Huges (Stafford/Brooke Point), and Tiffany Lennon (Carrollton/Smithfield) produced the new VWC record, smashing the former mark of 49.58 set earlier at Wake Forest. VWC's current record time is currently the eighth best in the nation.
Senior Courtney Burruss (Richmond/J.R. Tucker) gave the Marlin women their only other first place finish in the meet as she topped the field in the discus competition. She threw for a distance of 105 feet, 1 inch.
Lott finished first for the Marlin men in both the 100 and 200 with times of 10.82 and 22.24, respectively. He was the only runner to finish under 11.00 in the 100 and nipped Washington and Lee University standout Alexander Tallman in the 200. Lott won in a time of 22.24, followed by Tallman at 22.44.
VWC's men also got a first from Fowlkes in the long jump where he recorded a distance of 21-4. He was also second in the triple jump with a distance of 41-6.
WOMEN
100 -- Mills placed second (12.93)
4x400 -- Shakiella Daniel (Suffolk/Lakeland), Mebane, Hughes, Autumn Watson (Rocky Mount, Va./Franklin County) placed second (4:08.58)
MEN
200 -- Cole placed fourth (23.18)
400 -- Aires Reyes (Alexandria/St. Stephens and St. Agnes) placed third (50.70)
High jump -- Ed Chase (Falls Church/J.E.B. Stuart) placed second (6-0.75)
Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, at the Colonial Relays hosted by the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg.
--AMDG--
