Bethlehem/Chester, PA (April 19-20, 2024) - This weekend, the DeSales University men's outdoor track & field team split up, with the throwers attending the Moravian University Invitational and the runners and jumpers attending the Widener University Invitational.

Beginning at Moravian on Friday afternoon, junior Jacob Schaffer placed seventh overall with a throw of 13.43m in the shot put. Sophomore Giovanni Welington (13^th overall – 11.80m) set a season best and qualified for the Middle Atlantic Championship in the event. Graduate student Nick Chinn (19^th overall – 11.15m) also set a season best.

Then in the hammer throw, sophomore Jonathan Eudja took fourth place overall with another personal best throw of 48.33m. Eudja moved up to eighth on the all-time list in the event with his performance.

Down at Widener on Friday night, every single Bulldog in the 5000-meter hit the qualifying mark in an incredible team performance. Senior Shane Artis took 16^th place overall with a time of 14:51.74. Graduate student Matt Santacoloma hit a massive personal best with a time of 14:57.16 (28^th overall), breaking the 15-minute barrier for the first time and further solidifying himself in sixth place on the all-time list for the event. Sophomore Joey Wilson made an impressive debut in the event, winning his heat in a time of 15:15.88 (41^st overall). Graduate student Brian Bruno set a big personal best with a time of 15:35.36 (63^rd overall). Senior Matt Chylack (15:58.90 – 81^st overall) and junior Cody Smith (15:59.20 – 83^rd overall) both set huge personal bests, breaking the 16-minute barrier for the first time in a wild finish.

In the triple jump, senior Xavier Phoenix took eighth place overall with a jump of 13.82m. First-year Weston Simak placed 13^th overall with a jump of 13.07m. First year Lens Demosthene placed 18^th overall with a mark of 12.20m. Sophomore Peter Skulski then took 20^th overall with a jump of 11.28m.

The final event on Friday night was the 10000-meter, where again every Bulldog hit the qualifying standard. Senior Nick Manidis took ninth overall with a time of 32:39.86. Sophomore Antonio Rinaldi set a big personal best with a time of 34:40.05 (19^th overall). First-year Jaden Parrish made his debut in the event, running 34:51.88 to get 22^nd place. First-year Andrew Sidorski set a big personal best with a time of 34:58.18 to finish 23^rd overall. Rinaldi, Parrish, and Sidorski are all first-time qualifiers for the conference championship.

On Saturday, the runners and jumpers returned for more action at Widener. The 4x100 meter relay started things off right by setting a massive school record with a jaw-dropping time of 41.92 to take first place in the entire field. The team consisted of first-year Colin Marsh and seniors Logan Berner, Vajon Wilson, and Kyle Dunbar.

Then, in the 1500-meter, graduate student Carl Tyce kept the momentum going by setting a personal best with a time of 3:58.39 (14^th overall) and breaking his own school record by .02 seconds. Graduate student Tom Greve set a personal best with a time of 4:13.91. Senior Dean Ricco finished 74^th overall with a time of 4:24.48. Junior John Murphy set a big personal best, finishing 77^th overall with a time of 4:27.16. Junior Jordan Gallo hit a personal best with a time of 4:37.28 (81^st overall). First-year Chase Curry also set a personal best with a time of 4:48.48 (89^th overall).

Over to the field for the long jump, senior Xavier Phoenix finished seventh overall with a jump of 6.40m.

Back to the track for the 110-meter hurdles, junior Sam Estherson took seventh overall from the second heat with another impressive time of 15.29.

In the 100-meter dash, Berner set a massive personal best with a time of 10.83. He took fifth overall and moved up to second on the all-time list in the event. Dunbar also set a big personal best with a time of 10.97, good for seventh overall and fourth in school history. Both Berner and Dunbar qualified for the AARTFC Regional Championship in the 100-meter with their performances.

In the 800-meter, first-year Jozef Callano took 14^th overall with a massive personal best of 1:56.61, good for tenth on the all-time list. Junior Josh Deremer finished right behind with another massive personal best in a time of 1:56.62 (15^th overall). Senior Ben Phillippy placed 28^th overall with a season best time of 1:58.64. Sophomore Patrick Smith rounded out the pack, setting a huge personal best in a time of 2:09.34.

For the 200-meter dash, Dunbar set a massive personal best to finish fourth place overall with a time of 21.69. He solidified himself as second on the all-time list with his effort. Berner then took 21^st overall with a time of 22.38. V. Wilson placed 37^th with a season best time of 22.69. Marsh ran a 23.06 to finish 54^th overall, qualifying for the MAC Championship. Sophomore Tyler McCulloch then placed 64^th with a time of 23.24.

In the 3000-meter steeple, senior Tim Connell placed eighth overall with a season best time of 10:05.91.

Finally, in the 4x400-meter relay, the DeSales A-team, consisting of Phoenix (47.87), Marsh (54.60), Tyce (50.96), and Dunbar (49.16) took fourth place with a time of 3:22.58. The time was a season best and was good for third on the all-time list. The B-team of McCulloch (50.60) Deremer (56.55), Phillippy (53.15), and Callano (52.46) placed 11^th with a time of 3:32.74.

After an incredible weekend filled with school records and personal bests, the Bulldogs have 32 athletes qualified for the conference championship to be held at Widener University in two weeks.

The Bulldogs will return to action next weekend, competing at the Lehigh University Invitational on Saturday morning.