STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The East Stroudsburg University men's track and field team returned to indoor competition for the first time in 684 days as they competed at the Spartan Invitational on Friday.
Nine different Warriors would tally 11 PSAC qualifying marks including Daniel Daley (60m hurdles), Raul Esteves (60m, 200m), Luke Valdevit (Mile), Cole Gorham (shot put), Isaac Almoney (shot put), Romanley Turnier (high jump), Aaron Sanchez (high jump), Daryn Blackwell (weight throw), Grant Fox (pole vault) and Ivan Hicks (triple jump).
Running Highlights
It didn't take long for the Warriors to earn their first conference qualifying time of the season as Daley posted an 8.70 in the 60m hurdles on his way to finishing fourth.
Esteves picked up right where he left off by earning a PSAC qualifying mark in the 60m after clocking in at 7.03 for a third place finish. Esteves time is tied for the seventh fastest in program history.
The Dover, N.J. native returned the track later in the day and recorded his second conference mark, this time in the 200m after finishing in 22.67 for another third place finish. Making his ESU debut, Ryan Ditty finished fifth with a time of 22.82.
Valdevit carried over him momentum from the cross country season onto to track as he finished the mile in 4:24.93 to come in sixth and earn ESU's third qualifying time of the day.
Austyn Hamilton was just shy of a PSAC qualifying mark in the 800m after coming in seventh with a time of 1:59.30.
The 4x400m relay team that consisted of Sean Roberts, Tyler Boone, Esteves and Ditty took third after crossing the finish line in 3:30.22.
Field Event Highlights
The Warriors were impressive in the shot put, claiming the top two spots and earning a pair of PSAC qualifying marks. Cole Gorham took first with a throw of 15.51m and Almoney was right behind in second with a toss of 14.99m. Making his ESU debut, Gorham's effort in the shot put was the eighth best in program history.
Blackwell took fourth and became the third thrower to earn a PSAC qualifying mark after recording a toss of 15.37m in the weight throw. Almoney came up just short of conference mark after throwing 14.44m on his first attempt to take seventh.
Turnier and Sanchez led the way for ESU in the high jump as they both cleared 1.88m to earn their spots at the PSAC Championships.
In the pole vault, Fox earned a first place finish and conference mark after clearing the bar at 4.32m on his first attempt while Robert Plumb was fifth (3.87m).
The freshmen Hicks wasted no time making a name for himself as he recorded a PSAC qualifying mark in the triple jump after flying 13.30m on his first collegiate jump.
Just like his brother, Jack Gorham was exciting in his first meet at ESU taking fifth in the long jump after leaping 6.47m on his second attempt.
Up Next
The Warriors return to action on Saturday, January 22 when they travel to Bucknell for the Gulden Invitational at Gerhard Fieldhouse.
