Frostburg, Md. – The West Liberty University men's and women's track & field teams jumped out to a strong start at the 2024 MEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships as they are first and third respectively in the team standings after day one. Highlighting the opening day for the men's program was a sweep of the top-4 places in the high jump, including a conference title for Mikhi Anderson, and a school record for John Brown in the hammer throw. On the women's side the Hilltoppers went one-two in the long jump which saw Sierra Lanham break a school and MEC record.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – WLU MEN'S TRACK & FIELD

• In the first event of the meet, Jacob Huffman led the trio of Hilltoppers in the decathlon's 100m dash as he finished fifth with a career-best time of 12.17. Malachi Stewart and Jonathan Stout rounded out the group in sixth and eighth respectively with career-best times of 12.26 and 12.64.
• Huffman posted the top mark for WLU athletes in the decathlon's long jump, finishing sixth with a mark of 5.18m (17' 0"). Stewart and Stout earned seventh and eighth place finishes respectively with marks of 4.99m (16' 4.5") and 4.52m (14' 10").
• Stewart recorded a sixth place mark in the decathlon's shot put, throwing a distance of 7.91m (25' 11.5"). Huffman and Stout were seventh and eighth respectively with marks of 7.70m (25' 3.25") and 7.54m (24' 9"). Huffman's mark was a career-best throw.
• In the decathlon's high jump, Huffman tied for third in the event as he cleared a career-best mark of 1.68m (5' 6"). Stewart was seventh as he matched a career-best mark of 1.38m (4' 6.25").
• Stewart ran to a fifth place and career-best time of 57.42 in the decathlon's 400m dash, while Stout and Huffman were seventh and eighth with times of 58.09 and 58.90 respectively.
• Through five decathlon events, Huffman is fifth with 2,363 points, Stewart is seventh with 2,150 points, and Stout is eighth with 1,644 points.
• John Brown posted a second place finish in the hammer throw as he notched a career-best mark of 50.67m (166' 3") for a new school-record. Joshua Fancher earned a seventh place finish in the event as he recorded a throw of 43.03m (141' 2"). Mason Fraley rounded out the trio of Hilltoppers in the event as he finished 12^th with a throw of 40.58m (133' 01").
• Fraley led WLU in the javelin throw with a 12^th place finish and career-best throw of 36.65m (120' 3"). Julius Hobbs and Lorenzo Ferrera added marks of 34.69m (113' 9") and 34.38m (112' 9") for 13^th and 14^th place results.
• Brijaun Baylor led four Hilltoppers in the finals of the long jump, earning a fourth place finish with a career-best mark of 6.85m (22' 5.75"). Mikhi Anderson, Daminn Cunningham, and Quinn Ashbrooke rounded out the finalists with jumps of 6.73m (22' 1"), 6.59m (21' 7.5"), and 6.31m (20' 8.5") for sixth, eighth, and ninth place respectively. Rounding out the WLU competitors in the event was Ethan Furbee who notched a 13^th place finish with a mark of 6.23m (20' 5.25"). Anderson's mark was a new career-best jump.
• West Liberty swept the top-4 places of the high jump, led by Mikhi Anderson clinched the titles in both of this year's indoor and outdoor conference championships as he cleared a career-best mark of 2.05m (6' 8.75"). Cunningham secured second place with a mark of 1.95m (6' 4.75"), Furbee was third with a mark of 1.85m (6' 0.75"), and Dorde Donovic was fourth with a mark of 1.85m (6' 0.75"). rounding out the WLU athletes in the event was JD Henderson in 14^th as he cleared 1.65m (5' 5").
• Philip White secured a top-5 finish in the 10,000m run, clocking a time of 31:50.54 for fifth place. Also competing in the event was Robert Allen who posted a time of 33:08.70 for 11^th place. 

HOW IT HAPPENED – WLU WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD

• In the first event of the heptathlon, Zayne Brakeall earned a fourth place finish in the 100m hurdles with a career-best time of 16.49.
• In the heptathlon's high jump, Brakeall matched a career-best height of 1.50m (4' 11") for second place in the event.
• Brakeall posted a mark of 9.66m (31' 8.5") in the heptathlon's shot put for a third place finish.
• Brakeall turned in another third place finish among the heptathlon events with a career-best time of 27.49 in the 200m dash.
• Through four heptathlon events, Brakeall currently sits in second place with a total of 2,455 points.
• Marissa Scott posted a seventh place finish in the pole vault, clearing a career-best mark of 2.60m (8' 6.25"), while Lauren Wyatt recorded an 11^th place finish with a career-best mark of 2.30m (7' 6.5").
• Kennedy Martin earned a fifth place finish in the javelin throw, posting a mark of 32.41m (106' 4"). Also competing in the event was Adriana Fazzini who earned a 12^th place finish with a throw of 26.91m (88' 3").
• Three of West Liberty's seven athletes competing in the hammer throw advanced to the finals of the event, led by Katie Hill in sixth place with a career-best mark of 40.23m (132' 0"). Joining her in the finals was Sierra Davis and Kaylee Savage with throws of 39.58m (129' 10") and 38.75m (127' 1") for seventh and ninth place finishes. Rounding out the Hilltopper throwers in the event were Fazzini, Haley Norris, Catherine Neely, and Grace Brockmeier with marks of 38.10m (125' 0"), 36.32m (119' 2"), 35.65m (116' 11"), and 33.61m (110' 3") for tenth, 12^th, 14^th, and 16^th place finishes respectively.
• West Liberty went one-two in the long jump, as Sierra Lanham earned her second career conference championship in the event with a career-best mark of 5.93m (19' 5.5") that also became a new school and MEC record. Ky'Ara Ross posted a runner-up finish in the event after winning the title at the indoor championships earlier this season, recording a career-best jump of 5.84m (19' 2"). Wyatt rounded out the finalists with a ninth place finish and mark of 4.93m (16' 2.25").
• Morgan Lesnansky recorded a top-10 finish in the 10,000m run with a time of 41:56.46 for seventh place.

UP NEXT
The West Liberty track & field teams will be in action for day two of the MEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Monday. The meet starts at 8:30 a.m. with the multi-events, while field events and running events begin at 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium in Frostburg, Maryland.