NEW CONCORD, Ohio – The Capital University track and field teams had a prosperous outdoor OAC Championships meet on Thursday and Friday of this week. The men finished fifth as a team, while the women placed sixth as a group. 

In the end, Mount Union won the men's standings, while Ohio Northern took the women's crown. 

As a team, the Comets landed a total of nine All-OAC finishers, including one champion as Maria Da Cunha won the 400-meter hurdles. Additionally, the Comets set new school records in the women's 400 hurdles and the men's 4x400-meter relay, while they fell just shy of two other program records. 

Below is a summary of the Comets' performances.

MEN
100-meter dash: Mershaud Parker ran a time of 10.89 seconds to place 10th in the 100-meter dash. Leighton Kordack was 20th in a time of 11.18 seconds. 

200-meter dash: Neko Henry placed 13th in the prelims with a time of 22.23 seconds. Mershaud Parker was not far behind in 15th with a time of 22.24 seconds. Demetre Wheeler finished 21st in 22.63 seconds, while Cheik Souare was 25th in 22.92 seconds. 

400-meter dash: Neko Henry qualified for the finals in a new personal best time of 48.65 seconds – a time that jumps him up to third all-time at Capital in the event. In the finals Henry lowered his time to 48.49 seconds to place second overall and earn All-OAC honors. The time keeps Henry as the third fastest in school history.  Demetre Wheeler also featured in the prelims, running a time of 51.09 seconds and placing 18th. 

800-meter run: Braydon Nix ran a time of 2:02.89 to place 28th. 

1,500-meter run: Chip Smith ran his way onto the podium as he placed runner-up to earn All-OAC honors with a time of 3:55.52. The time was good to jump Smith into second all-time at Capital and fell just .02 seconds off the school record set by Ed Wigton. Kolin Brake also ran in the event, finishing 13th with a time of 4:13.74. 

3,000-meter steeplechase: Mikey Arnone ran to a third place finish and All-OAC honors in the steeplechase with a time of 9:36.88. Aiden Mahony ended up ninth overall with a time of 9:56.02 – a time that moves him up to seventh all-time at Capital in the event. 

5,000-meter run: Justin Rona earned a team point as he placed eighth in the 5K witha time of 15:05.97. The time lowered Rona's own second best time in school history. Kolin Brake placed 10th overall with a time of 15:18.76, while Mikey Arnone was 17th in 15:35.33, Ridwan Aliawl was 26th in 15:41.79 and Zach Glotzbecker was 28th in 15:44.77. 

10,000-meter run: Zach Glotzbecker placed 12th overall with a time of 32:37.56. Aaron McNutt placed 24th in a time of 35:34.04. 

4x400-meter relay: The Comet quartet of Mershaud Parker, Demetre Wheeler, Neko Henry and Chip Smith placed second overall and earned All-OAC honors in a new school record time of 3:16.76. The prior record of 3:17.34 set by D. Jones, R. Pfeiffer, R. Mettle, and B. Peck had previously stood since 1968. 

4x800-meter relay: The grouping of Ridwan Aliawl, Braydon Nix, Dimetrius Floyd, Reef Murray and Henry Taylor ran a time of 8:28.15 to place seventh overall. The time of 8:28.15 was good to set the relay team fifth best in school history. 

Hammer Throw: Nolan Piper tossed his way to second place and All-OAC honors with a heave of 52.25 meters. 

Shot Put: Piper placed 13th in the shot put with his best toss registering 13.79 meters. 

Discus: Piper again made the podium in the discus throw as he placed third overall with a best toss marking 43.58 meters. 

Javelin: Henry Taylor placed 18th overall with a mark of 36.55 meters. 

WOMEN
100-meter dash: Jaleea Harvey ran a time of 12.71 seconds which qualified her for the finals in fifth place. On Friday in the finals, Harvey improved to fourth place clocking a time of 12.43 seconds. 

100-meter hurdles: Maria Da Cunha qualified for the finals in fifth place, running a new PR time of 15.13 seconds. In the finals, Da Cunha remained fifth but lowered her time to 14.98 seconds, which marked the first time she had eclipsed the 15-second mark. The time also fell just .03 seconds off the school record of 14.95 seconds held by Emily Hilt. 

200-meter dash: Isabella Johnson qualified for the finals with a prelim time of 26.35 seconds to place her seventh. Jaleea Harvey placed 12th with a time of 26.45 seconds. In the finals, Johnson jumped up to fifth overall with a time of 26.24 seconds. 

400-meter dash: Isabella Johnson clocked in a time of 1:00.72 that placed her ninth in the event. That time was fast enough to move Johnson into 10th all-time at Capital in the event. Juli Sprague was 12th overall in the event with a time of 1:02.06. 

400-meter hurdles: Maria Da Cunha won the 400-meter hurdle title with a new school record time of 1:03.65. The new time beat the previous school record of 1:03.95 held by Erica Basinger from 2006. 
800-meter run: Shelby Janes placed seventh with a time of 2:24.04 – a time that jumps her up to seventh all-time at Capital as well. 

5,000-meter run: Laney Tarr placed 22nd overall in the 5K with a time of 19:08.96. The time was good for the seventh fastest outdoor 5K in program history. 

10,000-meter run: Tarr placed 12th in the 10K as well with a time of 41:13.33. 

4x100-meter relay: The quartet of Isabella Johnson, Jersie Papacostas, Jaleea Harvey and Maria Da Cunha earned a spot on the podium and All-OAC honors with a third place finish in the 4x1 relay. The Comets clocked in at 49.21 seconds – a time also good enough for ninth all-time at Capital in the event. 

4x400-meter relay: The team of Shelby Janes, Maria Da Cunha, Juli Sprague and Isabella Johnson landed on the podium with All-OAC honors as they finished second with a time of 4:01.95 in the last event of the day. The time was also strong enough to set the group sixth all-time at Capital. 

Pole Vault: Capital scored points with both pole vaulters, led by Claire Robinson who placed sixth with a height of 3.41 meters. Alex Wilkinson was seventh, clearing the bar at 3.41 meters as well on one more attempt. For Wilkinson, her height jumps her into third all-time at Capital in the event, while Robinson remains second from a previous height this season. 

High Jump: Brooklyn Herbert earned team points with a sixth place finish, clearing the bar at a height of 1.55 meters – a new PR and a height tying her for sixth all-time at Capital. 

Long Jump: Jersie Papacostas just narrowly missed out on points as she placed ninth with a top jump of 4.85 meters. Brooklyn Herbert placed 18th with a mark of 4.65 meters and Larae Portis was 22nd with a measure of 4.07 meters. 

Triple Jump: Larae Portis placed 10th overall with a distance of 9.86 meters, while Jersie Papacostas was 12th with a mark of 9.64 meters. 

Discus: Mia Sanchez placed 16th overall with a toss of 33.06 meters. Lillian Baker was 30th with  a mark of 26.92 meters. 

UP NEXT
Capital will now survey the schedule and any details regarding potential last chance meets will be posted as they're available.