DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Embry-Riddle Men's Track and field competed outdoors for the first time this season, as the Eagles hosted the Embry-Riddle Blue and Gold Invite on Saturday.
ERAU took the top two spots in the 4x100m relay, as Adam Landen, K'Anthony Benjamin, Craig Dedrick III and Derick Brown came in first place with a time of 41.88. Just behind them in second place was Kobe Diggs, Walker Cowherd, Colin McHugh and Joey Johnson, finishing in second place with a time of 43.68.
Tayan Benson came in second place in the 1500m, setting a personal record of 3:53.96. Jake Fritz was fourth with a time of 4:02.62, while fifth place went to Micah Blair (4:02.82). Charles Hruda also set a personal best in the event, running it in 4:07.04.
Derick Brown set a personal record by running the 110m hurdles in 14.75, which was good for the eighth-best time in program history. Chris Abell's second-placed time of 15.47 was a career best, as was Colin McHugh's third-placed time of 15.58.
Drake Stephan finished in fifth place in the 400m, running it in 50.77. Walker Cowherd set a personal best with his time of 51.62, as did Stephen (52.90) and William Fiesbeck (52.91).
Dedrick's 100m time of 10.96 put him in fourth place and gave him a new career best.
Fritz ran the 800m in 1:52.68, giving him a new personal outdoor best and the seventh-best time in ERAU history. Benson finished in fifth place, running the event in a time 1:57.41, while Micah Blair set a new career record of 1:58.59.
ERAU occupied three consecutive spots in the top five of the 400m, as McHugh (56.50), Abell (57.17) and Grant Scrabis placed second, third and fourth respectively.
Cowherd set a personal best in the 200m, running it in 22.60, as did Antonio Caito (23.40) Aaron Strauber (24.01) and Brandon Taylor (25.05).
Tanner Rosolino took first place in the 5000m, while Simon Cole placed second with a personal best 15:00.31. Fourth place belonged to Nicholas Scarangelli with a time of 15:15.69.
The Eagles placed in second in the 4x400m, as Brown, Landen, McHugh and Carter Speh ran the event in 3:22.74.
Brendon Shea won the 3000m steeplechase, running the event in 9:31.41. Following him were Ethan Stout (9:54.82) and Ryan Musil (9:58.80) in second and third place respectively. In addition, Gavin Weinheimer placed fourth and set a new personal record of 10:08.29.
Chance Tressler took first place in the hammer, setting a personal best of 42.40m. After him in second and third place were Tristan Wheaton (39.57m) and Jacob Swavely (39.12m). Noah Gammichia also set a career record in the event, with a throw of 37.08.
Kobe Diggs set a personal best of 6.66m in the long jump, as did Isaiah Kline with a 6.01m leap.
Tressler won again in the shot put, tossing a 14.13m. In addition, Nathan Wyant (12.88m), Joshua Dixon (12.37m) and Matt Larsen (12.04m) placed third, fourth and fifth respectively. Seth Cribben's 7.96m toss set a personal record for him.
Caito (14.97m) and Kobe Diggs (14.34m) captured the top two spots in the triple jump, also placing them fifth and ninth respectively on the all-time ERAU leaderboard for the event. In addition this signifies a provisional mark and outdoor career record for Caito, as well as a personal best for Diggs.
Swavely won the discus with a 42.46m throw, followed by Dixon (40.93) and Dressler, who set a career best of 38.36m.
Colin McNally captured first place in the pole vault with a 4.30m throw, followed by Michael Kotey in second (4.15m). John Bai set an outdoor personal record with 3.70m, a mark which Howard Baumann reached for a personal record.
In the javelin throw, Ryan Flournoy (61.09m) and Chase O'Connell (59.12m) took second and third place, both hitting provisional standards.
Next up is the River City Classic hosted by UNF, where the Eagles will compete on Thursday, March 14.
The 2023-24 Embry-Riddle men's track and field season is presented by The Running Elements.
