WESTFIELD, Ma. – The Penn State Behrend men's track and field team finished in 6th out of 53 (37.5) scoring teams in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships Thursday.
On Wednesday, Luke Patten (West Middlesex, PA/West Middlesex) got the Lions to a strong start by winning the pole vault title. He cleared the bar at a height of 4.97m (16' 3.5"), a new personal best.
Following Patten was Mitchell Obenrader (Fryburg, PA/North Clarion), who won the javelin with a distance of 62.13m (203' 10"). He also took fourth in the shot put (54' 3.25") and 16th in the discus (133' 8").
Matt McWilliams (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) won, and set a new school record in, the 1500m, posting a time of 3:50.82. He also took 18th in the 800m (1:56.15).
Cody Cornell (Conneaut Lake, PA/Conneaut Lake) also set a new school record. He set the record in the 800m, taking seventh with a time of 1:52.72. Dylan Buffington (Brookville, PA/Brookville) finished behind Cornell in the 800, placing 10th in a personal-best time of 1:53.79.
Matthew Grafton (Worthington, PA/Kittanning) was the third Lion to break a school record. He broke the 400m hurdle record, posting a time of 54.89 to place ninth. Grafton also took 13th in the 100m with a time of 15.27.
Kevin Gardner (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) had an All-ECAC finish, taking eighth in the high jump at a height of 1.96m (6' 5")
The few who qualified for the NCAA Championships will continue their season Thursday, May 26.
