Gents Sixth After Day One At SCAC Championships

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - With 10 events in the books, Trinity University find themselves with an impressive 36 point lead over the contingent of Colorado College and Texas Lutheran University, who are tied for second place, after Day One of the 2024 SCAC Men's Track and Field Championship, which is being contested on the campus of Trinity University. Official Website | Results | Photo Gallery

For the third consecutive year, a new SCAC championship record was established in the 4x100 relay as TLU's quartet of Justin Freeney, Bryce Powell-Chimene, Rickey Franks, and Weston Guzman crossed the line in a time of 40.81. SCAC championship records were also set in the pole vault and 200 meters.

DAY ONE STANDINGS

1. Trinity - 131
T2. Colorado College - 95
T2. Texas Lutheran - 95
4. Southwestern - 39
5. St. Thomas - 15
6. Centenary - 11
7. Schreiner - 2
8. Dallas - 0

HOW IT HAPPENED

• For the sixth straight championship, a Colorado College runner opened the championship meet with a victory in the 10,000 meters. Senior Ayden Cherry (watch post event interview) broke the tape first in a winning time of 33:44.16, leading a pack of four CC runners that took first through fourth place. The 1-2-3 podium sweep for the Tigers marked just the fifth time in championship meet history runners from the same school have crossed in first, second and third. Cherry was followed closely by fellow senior and defending champion James Settles who crossed in 33:44.31. Placing third was CC senior Devlin Swanson in 33:44.63.
• For the third consecutive year, Trinity senior Diego Flores (watch post race interview) took top honors in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, splashing to a 9:28.97 finish, the fourth-fastest time in SCAC championship meet history. Flores, who owns the 17th fastest time in the event this season, is just the second man in the conference history to win three consecutive steeplechase titles, joining DePauw's Simon Flory who earned 3,000 steeplechase gold each of his four years (2001-04) as a competitor. Senior Brett Kitazono of Colorado College finished in second place in a time of 9:38.26 and his teammate sophomore Luc Santos placed third in 9:42.84 to round out the all-SCAC team.
• In the first field event of the day, junior Ezra Acero of Texas Lutheran (watch post event interview) defended his title in the pole vault in grand fashion, shattering the SCAC championship meet mark in the event with a clearance of 4.65 meters (15' 3"), besting the former mark of 15' 1". Acero came into this weekend's meet possessing the fourth-best vault of the Division III season at 5.02 meters. A pair of Trinity sophomores finished second and third with Seth Jacobs posting a clearance of 4.29 meters (14' 1") and Adrian Suarez vaulting 4.14 meters (13' 7"). 
• For the third time in four years, Texas Lutheran student-athletes swept the awards podium in the hammer, led by junior Riley Denman (watch post event interview) who defended his title with a toss of 49.70 meters (163' 1"), the fourth-longest throw in SCAC championship meet history and the eighth straight year a TLU man has walked away with gold in the hammer. Seniors Chase Cook and Weston Geiger, just as they did a year ago, finished second and third. Cook had a toss of 46.60 meters (152' 11") and Geiger earned bronze with a heave of 44.13 meters (144' 9").
• In the long jump, Southwestern junior Jamal Maxey of Southwestern (watch post event interview) claimed top honors with a leap of 7.05 meters (23' 1 1/2"), which he achieved on his first attempt. He is the first Pirate man to claim long jump gold since Chris Norris in 2008 and just the third all-time. First-year Tias McClarty of Trinity finished second with his jump of 6.96 meters (22' 10") and teammate senior Justin Johnson was third with a 6.85 meter (22' 5 3/4") effort.
• The shot put wrapped up the field events for the men on Day One and Texas Lutheran junior Dalon Harris (watch post event interview) repeated as conference king in the event with a heave of 16.42 meters (53' 10 1/2), the second-longest effort in the history of the conference championships. The victory also marked the ninth straight time a TLU Bulldog has walked away with gold in the shot put. Southwestern first-year Ethan Pham finished second with a toss of 43.73 meters (43' 9 1/2) and senior Weston Geiger of Texas Lutheran picked up his second bronze of the meet with an all-SCAC effort of 13.24 meters (43' 5 1/4").
• The first event of the afternoon session - the 4x100 relay - produced a record-breaking performance as the Texas Lutheran quartet of sophomore Justin Freeney, senior Bryce Powell-Chimene, sophomore Rickey Franks, and sophomore Weston Guzman (watch post race interview) broke the record they set by the Bulldogs at last year's meet, hitting the tape at 40.81. Additionally, that time is currently the third-fastest in all of Division III this season. Trinity finished in second at 41.10 and St. Thomas was third at 41.73.
• Colorado College Rabbit Barnes (watch post race interview) surged to the lead with a late kick and held off the field to earn gold in the 800 meters. The sophomore set a new school record and ran the second-fastest time in SCAC championship meet history with his winning effort of 1:52.59. Junior Ryan Treasaugue of Trinity was second in 1:52.99 and his teammate, junior Will Salony, was third for the third consecutive year, this year in a time of 1:53.11.
• Trinity senior Justin Johnson (watch post race interview) earned his third consecutive title in the 400 meter hurdles, breaking the tape in a winning time of 53.52, the fourth-fastest time in the history of the event. With the win, Johnson becomes just the second man to win three consecutive gold medals in the 400 meter hurdles at the conference championship meet, joining Centre College's Chad Loveless who earned the top podium position in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Senior Xavier Venious of Centenary earned second place with a time of 55.64 and sophomore Rickey Franks of Texas Lutheran was third in 56.38.
• In the final race of the day, sophomore Josh Williams of Colorado College (watch post race interview) closed out Day One in spectacular fashion, posing the fastest 200 meter time in SCAC championship meet history with a 21.11 finish. His victory also snapped an eight-year streak that a Texas Lutheran athlete has won the event. Trinity first-year Price Schultea placed second in 21.46 and senior Bryce Powell-Chimene of Texas Lutheran placed third with a finish of 21.64.

UP NEXT

• Competition resumes tomorrow with the men's 5000-meter final at 8:00 a.m., followed by the women's event at 8:30 a.m. A complete schedule of events can be found here.