EMU track season begins

The Eastern Mennonite University men's Indoor Track and Field team opened its season on Saturday at the VMI Invitational in Lexington, Virginia.

Freshman Nathan Turner (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) highlighted the day, breaking two school records and qualifying provisionally for the NCAA Championships. Turner started the morning with a win and a school record in the 35-pound weight throw. He eclipsed the old EMU record by six feet, his throw measuring 49 feet two inches. He finished the day with a victory in the shot put hurling 52 feet one inch breaking the school record by nearly nine feet. Turner also qualified provisionally in the shot put for the NCAA Indoor Championships to be held in March in Northfield, Minnesota.

Andrew Grubb (Manassas, Va./Brentsville) finished the day with four second place finishes, in the 55-meter high hurdles, the 200 and 500-meter dashes, and the 4x400-meter relay. Grubb finished the 500 in 1:08.75, which is the second fastest time at EMU. Marcel Long, (Winchester, Va./Handley) placed second in the mile in a time of 4:49.47 and was also a member of the 4x400-meter relay team that placed second.

Michael Yoder (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) placed second in the long jump and third in the triple jump. Joey Franze (Virginia Beach, Va./Greenbrier Christian) opened his season finishing fourth in the 200 and fifth in the 55-meter dash. Aaron Wheeler (Delvan, Ill./Delvan) and Franze were the other members of the 4x400-meter relay team that placed second.

The EMU women's team also began its season at the VMI Invitational.

Freshman Dominique Hull (Bealeton, Va./Liberty) debuted for the Royals with a victory in the shot put. Hull threw 38 feet two inches to capture the victory and etch her name with the fourth-best throw all time at EMU. Chelsea Lawhorn (Staunton, Va./Riverheads) placed sixth in the shot put.

Megan Mlinarchik (Broadway, Va./Broadway) placed second in the high jump and third in the long jump with a personal best leap of 16 feet seven inches. The long jump is the second best jump effort all-time at EMU. Mlinarchik also placed fifth in the pole vault to complete her day. Tara Altizer (Schuyler, Va./Nelson County) placed tied for fourth in the high jump in her collegiate opener. She also finished eighth in the 55-meter dash.

The teams will return to the track next week at the DuCharme Invitational in Carlisle, Pa. The meet is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9.