Results
Chester, PA - The Messiah College Falcons traveled to Chester, Pa., on Monday to take part in the annual Swarthmore College Final Qualifying Meet. The annual “last chance” meet again served as a final opportunity for track & field athletes to qualify for the upcoming NCAA Championships, and was hosted by Widener University on Monday because of work being done on the Garnet's home track.
Aaron Reynolds brought his Messiah career to an end with a career-best performance in the 800 Meter Run. Reynolds ran a time of 1:53.40 to finish sixth, edging his previous best of 1:53.89 collected at Washington and Lee in mid-March.
Ersikha Eugene and
Hillary Pelkey followed suit behind Reynolds, with each senior earning a standout measure of their own. Eugene leaped a distance of 5.10 meters in the Long Jump, her best-ever jump for both her Indoor and Outdoor career. Pelkey,
a former All-American in the Javelin, tossed 39.89 meters for a season-best and a third place finish.
Rachel Robison nearly continued the theme for Messiah in the Pole Vault, clearing a height of 3.25 meters fall just short of her 3.31 meters earned less than three weeks ago. She took fourth in the event.
Jared Schatz finished the Falcons' day with a season-leading 9:55.40 in the Steeplechase, a mark more than six seconds better than the first-year runner's previous best.
Though the Falcons' personal records—especially those by the seniors— will be highlights for years to come, they were not enough to solidify qualifications for the NCAA Championships.
Liz Martin and
Fred Fulton will both be traveling to Wisconsin later this month as Messiah's qualifiers, with Martin looking to finish among the best in the 400 Hurdles. Fulton will be looking to better his
National Runner-Up performance in the Shot Put at the Indoor Championships in March.
