LYNCHBURG, Va. — CIU track & field competed Friday at the Liberty Open, hosted by Liberty University, facing a deep field comprised of teams from all collegiate divisions. The Rams delivered a standout performance marked by multiple Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) and NCCAA qualifying marks, along with five new school records.
James Mayo led CIU on the track with a pair of historic performances. Mayo recorded AAC and NCCAA qualifying times in both sprint events, setting new school records in the 60 meters (7.01) and the 200 meters (22.46). Donavan Latimer also posted a personal-best 7.36 in the 60 meters, while Hunter McCaskill added a 24.63 in the 200.
In the 400 meters, Denim Jones ran 53.44, while Mark Zagata turned in a personal-best performance of 54.00. Julian Carranza competed in the event as well, finishing in 54.78. CIU's middle-distance group continued to impress as Spencer Evans ran 2:08.28 in the 800 meters. Morgan Hartman recorded an AAC qualifying time in the women's 800 meters, finishing in 2:32.54.
Distance standout Jacobo Garcia-Rivera delivered one of the top performances of the meet for the Rams, setting a new CIU school record in the men's 3,000 meters with a time of 9:32.30.
The men's 4×400 relay team of Mayo, Latimer, Dallas Turner and Jones capped the night by setting a new CIU school record with a season-best time of 3:26.94.
CIU produced several record-setting and qualifying performances in the field events. Turner cleared 1.95 meters (6-4.75) in the high jump, an AAC and NCCAA qualifying mark that also set a new school record. McCaskill recorded an AAC and NCCAA qualifying mark in the pole vault with a clearance of 3.85 meters (12-7.5). Latimer added an AAC and NCCAA qualifying performance in the triple jump with a mark of 13.59 meters (44-7).
In the throws, Cameron Montgomery continued his strong indoor season with AAC and NCCAA qualifying marks in both events. Montgomery recorded a mark of 15.50 meters (50-10.25) in the shot put and 14.97 meters in the weight throw. Dante Shuler added a shot put mark of 11.77 meters (38-7.5), while Bryce Scarborough posted a throw of 10.31 meters (33-10) and Casey Feaster followed with a mark of 9.80 meters (32-2).
On the women's side, CIU turned in multiple qualifying performances on the track. Zyra Spann ran 8.76 in the 60 meters, while Michaela Oglesby recorded an AAC and NCCAA qualifying time of 10.23 in the 60-meter hurdles. In the 200 meters, Arion Jefferson led the Rams with a time of 28.22, followed by Oglesby in 28.92 and Spann in 29.65.
Jefferson and Elizabeth Gustafson both posted AAC qualifying performances in the 400 meters, with Jefferson clocking a personal-best 1:03.28 and Gustafson finishing in 1:03.64.
In the field events, Lydia Gustafson set a new CIU school record in the high jump, clearing 1.51 meters (4-11.5), an AAC and NCCAA qualifying mark. Caroline Rimmer added an AAC and NCCAA qualifying performance in the pole vault, clearing 2.86 meters (9-4.5).
CIU also competed in the women's 4×400 relay, as the team of Jefferson, Gustafson, Hartman and Oglesby recorded a season-best time of 4:23.19.
CIU will continue the indoor season on Jan. 30–31, traveling to Salem, Va., to compete at the Bast-Cregger Multi Invite.
