Erra-Hernandez Leads Tartans in First Day of UAA Championship

(CHICAGO, Ill.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's track and field team competed in the first day of the University Athletic Association (UAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by the University of Chicago.

Senior Zachary Erra-Hernandez (Las Cruces, N.M./Onate) led the Tartans as he won his third straight title in the shot put.  He took first by over a meter when he tossed the shot 15.80 meters.  Also on the first day, Erra-Hernandez took second when he released the hammer for a mark of 52.19 meters.  

Also in the hammer throw, senior Nathan Cheek (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) threw 46.56 meters to grab a third-place finish adding points to the team score for the Tartans.

Freshman Don Boyer (Dover Foxcroft, Maine / Foxcroft Academy) tallied another third-place finish for the Tartans in the long jump.  With a leap of 6.69 meters, Boyer earned himself a new career-best mark.

The men's 4x800-meter relay grabbed the second first-place finish for the Tartans on day one of competition.  The team of sophomore Marc-Daniel Julien (Skokie, Ill./Niles West), junior Thomas Vandenberg (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck), freshman Owen Norley (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston), and freshman Curtis Watro (Audubon, Pa./Methacton) crossed the finish line with a time of 7:46.25 to secure a first place finish.

Senior Josh Newby competed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase recording a time of 9:31.06 for a second-place finish.

The second day of competition will begin at 10:00 a.m. Sunday with field events, as the running events will start at 11:30 a.m.