Tartans Compete at W&L Carnival; Degen Sets Meet Record

(LEXINGTON, Va.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's track and field team traveled south to Lexington, Virginia for the Washington and Lee Track and Field Carnival hosted by Washington and Lee University at Foster Stadium on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21.  The Tartans turned in two first-place showings while recording numerous personal bests.

On Friday, senior George Degen (Madison, Wis./West) started the Tartans off with a meet record time of 30:51.98 in the 10,000-meter run.  Finishing two spots behind the senior in third was classmate Joe Pane (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) with a time of 32:07.86.  Both Degen's and Pane's times were career-bests for the seniors.

Also on Friday, sophomore Curtis Watro (Audubon, Pa./Methacton) took second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:49.24.  Senior Elliot Watson (Lebanon, Ohio/Miami Valley School) turned in a career-best time of 9:57.98, placing third.

Carnegie Mellon's distance runners continued their success on Friday, as junior Grant Langevin (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton), senior Eamon Cullinane (Hampton, N.H /Winnacunnet) and junior Brian Bollens (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) all recorded career-best times in the 5,000-meter run placing sixth, seventh and tenth, respectively. Langevin crossed in 15:14.13, Cullinane 15:15.72 and Bollens in 15:19.56.

Sophomore Owen Norley (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) turned in the Tartans' other top finish when he stopped the clock in the 800-meter run with a career-best time of 1:53.62.  Junior Marc-Daniel Julien (Skokie, Ill./Niles West) finished ninth in the 800-meter after crossing in 4:10.58.  Norley and Julien also competed in the 1500-meter run and finished in eighth and tenth with times of 4:07.38 and 4:10.58.

In field events, freshman Kevin Wainczak (South Brunswick, N.J.) placed fourth in the pole vault after clearing the bar at 3.96 meters.  Freshman Jacob Schofel (Livingston, N.J.) turned in a fifth- and sixth-place finish in the hammer and discus.  The freshman tossed the hammer 41.58 meters while throwing the discus 36.46 meters.  Sophomore David Ott (Glen Rock, N.J.) placed seventh in the javelin with a career-best throw of 49.25 meters.

The Tartans will host the Carnegie Mellon Mini-Invite on Saturday, March 28 with events beginning at 10:00 a.m.