YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The West Liberty University men's track and field team began its season at the YSU Icebreaker, hosted by Youngstown State, yesterday. Hunter Patterson (60m), Liam Vinskovich (high jump), Dillon Meintel (high jump), and Daminn Cunningham (long jump) broke program records to lead the Hilltoppers..

In his first track meet ever, yes ever. Patterson broke the 60m dash record with a 6.89 in the finals to finish in 7th place in the meet. "That was just an unbelievable performance by Hunter," said Head Coach Justin Simpson. A freshman from Chester, W.Va., Patterson qualified for the finals with a 6.95 and 6.93 in the qualifiers and prelims. 

Vinskovich, a sophomore, and Meintel, a senior, tied for third in the high jump, clearing 2.01m to break a program record, of 1.98, that stood since 1999. Both Vinskovich and Meintel were facing elimination with back-to-back misses at 1.98m, but then cleared it in on their third attempt and kept the momentum rolling into the next level with a successful second jump over 2.01m. Freshman Dakota Thomas was right behind the record setters with a clear of 1.95m in his first collegiate meet.

Daminn Cunningham made a big time impression in his first meet with the Hilltoppers, finishing third in the long jump. After posting 6.87m as his longest jump through the first four attempts, Cunningham fired off a 7.09m leap in his fifth try, eclipsing the record of Adam O'Donnell, one of the all-time greats in program history by 0.07m.

Sophomores Gage Patterson and Brijaun Baylor along with freshman Dakota Thomas all finished in the top-20 of the high jump. Patterson landed at 6.85m in ninth place, then Thomas finished in 13th with a 6.77m in his second attempt, and Baylor leaped a 6.70m in try number one, which placed him 16th.

In the throwing circle, Luis Martinez and Joshua Fancher led the way in shot put. Martinez threw a 14.83 to finish in 11th at his first collegiate event. Fellow first timer Fancher was two spots behind Martinez with a 13.68m throw in  his second attempt. "(Shot put) is an event where we needed a few scorers and we think these guys will be that for us," said Coach Simpson.

Graduate student transfer from Penn State Ben Bumgarner began his Hilltopper career with a 4:23.19 mile to place seventh in the event. Bryce Childers and Brody Cermak ran to top-10 finishes in the 5000m race finishing back-to-back in eighth and ninth place with times of 16:09.81 and 16:12.92, respectively.

Coming off an All-Region freshman season a year ago, Reese Burnside cleared 4.50m in the season opener for a 10th place finish in the pole vault.

West Liberty will be back in action on Friday at the Grand Valley State Holiday Open in Allendale, Mich.

Follow Hilltopper Track and Field all season online at HilltopperSports.com and on Twitter (@WLU_XCTF | @WLathletics), Instagram (@wlu_xctf | @wlu_athletics), and Facebook.