MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – The Washington & Jefferson College track & field teams opened the outdoor season at the Marty Pushkin Invitational, hosted by West Virginia University. The teams competed against a mix of Division I, Division II, and Division III athletes.
 
Chloe LoCastro (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) helped lead the Presidents by shattering her own record in the 1,500-meter steeplechase. The senior secured the event win with a time of 5:20.98, nearly 25 seconds faster than the record LoCastro set last season.
 
W&J found second place finishes in the two women's hurdle events. Senior Sarah Schneider (Warren, Ohio/Lordstown) got second in the 100-Meter hurdles with a time of 15.27. This was the fastest time that Schneider has put forth in a season opening meet. Additionally, sophomore Lainey Hartner (Washington, Pa./Fort Cherry) set a personal best time of 1:08.46 in the 400-Meter hurdles.
 
The women secured a pair of fifth place finishes in the distance events. Senior Claire Anderson (Jamestown, Pa./Jamestown) came back from the Division III National Indoor Championships and secured a time of 4:44.92 in the 1500-Meters. Additionally, senior Maria Gilles (North Ridgeville, Ohio/Lake Ridge Academy) ran a 2:21.86 in the 800-Meters.
 
W&J secured another pair of fifth-place finishes in the field events. In the long jump, Schneider jumped 4.89, (16' 05") to open the season and freshman Abigael Nicolas (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold) finished in a three-way tie for fifth finishing her jumps at 1.5m (4' 11").
 
The W&J 4x400-Meter relay team consisting of Hartner, freshman Jazlyn Martino (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry), junior Tamyah Ray (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin), and freshman Myleigh Mashburn (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold) raced to a fourth-place finish with an overall time of 4:22.55.
 
Senior Anthony Cestaro III (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers) helped lead the men's team with two top three finishes in the sprint events. The captain finished second in the 200-Meter dash with a time of 22.10. Cestaro III also had a time of 10.94 in the 100-Meter dash to race towards a third-place finish.
 
W&J finished with two runners in the top five of the 1500-meters. Freshman Jacob Derry (Canonsburg, Pa./Corry Area) had a fourth-place finish in the event with a time of 4:05.35. Right behind Derry with a fifth-place finish, sophomore Dom Flitcraft ran a personal best time of 4:05.35.
 
In the field events, junior Tavan Schoenberger (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) led the way with an event win in the triple jump. Schoenberger opened the outdoor season jumping 13.16m (43' 2.25"). Two Presidents finished in the top five of the javelin as well. Freshman Griffin Burnett (Pittsburgh, Pa./South Park) threw a second-place worthy performance with a total distance of 52.11m (170' 11"). Right behind him, sophomore Ryan Minerd (Brownsville, Pa./Bethlehem-Center) threw a personal best 50.13m (164' 05") in route to a fifth-place finish.
 
W&J returns to the track next weekend (March 27 – March 28) when the team will split up between three events, the Carnegie Mellon Invitational, the Tim Weaver Memorial hosted by West Liberty, and the Raleigh Relays hosted by North Carolina State.  
 
Below is the W&J Top Finisher for Each Event
Men
100-Meter: Anthony Cestaro III (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers) – 10.94, 3^rd
200-Meter: Anthony Cestaro III (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers) – 22.10
400-Meter: Ethan Coble (California, Pa./California Area) – 52.22, 16^th (Personal Best)
400-Meter Hurdles: Collin Dusman (Hartville, Ohio/Lake) – 1:01.20, 8^th
4x400-Meter Relay: (Zeni, Karamcheti, Petersen, Binkowski) – 3:42.67, 8^th
800-Meter: Wyatt Stroup (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) – 2:03.70, 28^th (Personal Best)
1500-Meter: Jacob Derry (Canonsburg, Pa./Corry Area) – 4:05.35, 4^th
5000-Meters: Wyatt Stroup (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) – 15:41.07, 9^th (Personal Best)
Discus: Cole Pawich (Washington, Pa./Chartiers Houston) – 30.59m (100' 04"), 14^th
Javelin: Griffin Burnett (Pittsburgh, Pa./South Park) – 52.11m (170' 11"), 2^nd
Long Jump: Tavan Schoenberger (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) – 6.16m (20' 2.5"), 11^th
Shot Put: Jack Felder (Beachwood, Ohio/Beachwood) – 10.27m (33' 8.5"), 17^th 
Triple Jump: Tavan Schoenberger (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) – 13.16m (43' 2.25"), 1^st
 
Women
100-Meter: Alyssa Trn (Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg Area) – 13.38, 16^th
100-Meter Hurdles: Sarah Schneider (Warren, Ohio/Lordstown) – 15.27, 2^nd
200-Meter: Myleigh Mashburn (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold) – 27.65, 19^th (Personal Best)
400-Meters: Myleigh Mashburn (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold) – 1:01.80, 12^th (Personal Best)
400-Meter Hurdles: Lainey Hartner (Washington, Pa./Fort Cherry) – 1:08.46, 2^nd (Personal Best)
4 x 400-Meter Relay (Hartner, Martino, Ray, Mashburn) – 4:22.55, 4^th
800-Meters: Maria Gilles (North Ridgeville, Ohio/Lake Ridge Academy) – 2:21.86, 5^th
1500-Meters: Claire Anderson (Jamestown, Pa./Jamestown) – 4:44.92, 5^th
1500-Meter Steeplechase: Chloe LoCastro (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) – 5:20.98, 1^st (School Record, Personal Best)
Discus: Emily Paquet (Eighty Four, Pa./Bentworth) – 22.04m (68' 07"), 21^st
High Jump: Abigael Nicolas (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold) – 1.5m (4' 11"), T-5
Javelin: Taylor Schumacher (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) – 28.36m (93' 00"), 6^th
Long Jump: Sarah Schneider (Warren, Ohio/Lordstown) – 4.89m (16' 0.5"), 5^th
Triple Jump: Ella Neil (California, Pa./California Area) – 9.78m (32' 01"), 7^th
Shot Put: Mia Reddix (Canonsburg, Pa./Chartiers Houston) – 6.55m (21' 06"), 24^th