PHILADELPHIA -- A program record in the men's 4x200 relay highlighted competition in the 120th Penn Relays for members of Virginia Wesleyan College's track and field team.
Seniors Stephen Cole (Vienna/Oakton) and Randy Lott (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox), junior Dan Elmore (Warrenton/Fauquier), and sophomore Chrishaud Hawkins (Capitol Heights, Md./Fairmont Heights)ran the race in a time of 1:29.22 in a field of 51 teams. The Marlin quartet placed fourth among nine Division III teams in the event. VWC competed in a heat that included Jamaica's UTech, East Carolina University, Duke University, the University of Maryland, and Temple University. The Marlins placed 33rd overall.
The Marlin women also competed in the 4x200 and placed third among nine Division III teams entered in the event. VWC clocked a final time of 1:44.37 on the efforts of senior Courtney Mebane (Virginia Beach/Tallwood), junior Shakiella Daniel (Suffolk/Lakeland), sophomore Shakira Mills (Hampton/Bethel), and rookie Tiffany Lennon (Carrollton/Smithfield). Fifty-eight teams competed in the event.
VWC's men raced in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays and fared well among the Division III competitors. Rookie Aries Reyes (Alexandria/St. Stephens and St. Agnes) and junior Ethan Fowlkes (Quinton/New Kent)joined with Cole and Lott to post a final time of 43.15 in the 4x100, finishing sixth among 18 DIII teams entered. Sophomore Marquis Sivels (Moyock, N.C./Norfolk Christian) and rookie Trey White (Spotsylvania/Courtland)combined efforts with Reyes and Elmore to record a time of 3:24.75 in the 4x400. The Marlins placed fifth among 13 DIII quartets. Eighty-nine teams raced in the 4x400 and 92 in the 4x100.
Lott and Fowlkes represented Virginia Wesleyan in the 100 meter dash and the long jump, respectively, competing as the only Division III entrants in each event. Fowlkes placed 15th in a field of 15 with a distance of 21 feet, 2.5 inches. Lott crossed the finish line in a time of 10.87, placing 20th in a field of 24. He finished ahead of runners from Kennesaw State University, University of Connecticut, University of Houston, and Texas Tech.
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