Posted: Feb 28, 2014

Tartans Sit Second after First Day of UAA Competition

(WALTHAM, Mass.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's track and field team currently sits in second place following the first day of competition at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Indoor Championships on Friday, February 28. The 2014 championships are being held on the campus of Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachutsetts.

Junior Mike McDermott (Seekonk, Mass./La Salle Academy) earned All-UAA honors after grabbing a first-place finish in the high jump. McDermott cleared a height of 1.94 meters. This marks McDermott's third straight All-UAA honor in the high jump.

The distance medley relay of seniors Kenneth Murphy (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Jerome Reano (Albuquerque, N.M. / Saint Pius X) along with junior Thomas Vandenberg (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) and freshman Owen Norley (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) finished the first day of competition with a UAA title after crossing the finish line with a time of 10:11.11. For Vandenberg, this is the third straight year he earned All-UAA.

Senior Zachary Erra-Hernandez (Las Cruces, N.M./Onate) earned All-UAA honors after placing second in the weight throw with a toss of 16.10 meters. The Tartans also earned points in the weight throw from senior Nathan Cheek (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) and junior Gino Pilato (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area). Cheek placed fourth with a throw of 15.21 meters and Pilato finished sixth after a distance of 13.41 meters.

Junior George Degen (Madison, Wis./West) crossed the finish line of the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:05.87 to grab a fourth-place finish for the Tartans.

The final day of competition resumes Saturday, March 1.