Championship Central
BETHLEHEM, Pa.- The West Chester University men's track and field squad is finishing its preparations and packing its bags for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships at Rauch Field House on the campus of Lehigh University this weekend.
"It's been a really exciting indoor season," opened Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Colin Leak. "I think we have a great group of student-athletes, and we have been building great momentum throughout the season, so we have a lot of excitement heading into this weekend."
Action gets underway on Saturday at 11 a.m. with the men's weight throw and women's long jump finals before the opening day concludes with prelims of the 200. Sunday will get underway at 11:30 as the men's heptathlon continues, along with the high jump finals, before the weekend concludes with the 4x400 finals.
Fans who are making the trip to Lehigh will need to purchase tickets
online and are encouraged to do so before arriving at the venue. Tickets are set at $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 2-12 with students from PSAC Member Institutions with current, valid ID being admitted free of charge. No complimentary tickets are available; however, PSAC passes will be accepted. For fans unable to make the trip, live results are available
here, with live video available on the
PSAC Digital Network as well.
"The development we have seen this year has been exciting to see," acknowledged Leak. "This is year two for us so I think we are really starting to get some good momentum and excitement around us as a program. We've done a better job of holding each other accountable and supporting one another throughout this year. We understand that putting on the jersey means something and that you are competing for more than just yourself. I'm excited to see what this weekend brings."
West Chester embarks on the PSAC Championships looking to improve upon an eighth-place finish at the 2024 Championships, and the Golden Rams will send a strong contingent to the PSAC Indoor Championships once again in 2025.
On the track, West Chester will get its Championships underway with the Distance Medley Relay squad, which enters the Championships with a time of 10 minutes and 46.80 seconds from earlier this season. The Golden Rams will conclude the Championships with a fan-favorite event, the 4x400 relay, which they enter with a time of 3:24.57, which is the seventh fastest in the field.
Individually,
Damian Simpson (Easton, Pa./Wilson) is one of the top seeds for West Chester this weekend, entering with the fifth-fastest 60 meter dash time in the field and 6.86 seconds, while
Amarre Mayo (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) will join him with a time of 6.98 seconds.
The 60 is the first of two events for Mayo this weekend as he will also compete alongside
Josh Farrell (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) in the 200 as the duo enter with times of 22.44 and 22.14, respectively.
In distance events,
Matt Remishofski (Wall, N.J./Wall), who was an All-Conference honoree in cross country this fall, will be another two-event athlete for West Chester as he'll compete in both the 800 and mile with times of 1:56.18 and 4:16.55.
Billy Zane (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) will also compete in the 800, entering as the 12
th seed with a time of 1:57.13, while
Josh Miller (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) will compete in both the mile (7th- 4:17.60) and 3K (18
th- 8:45.75).
Jason Vogt (Southampton, Pa./William Tennent) will join Miller in the 3K as he enters with a time of 8:44.25.
In field events,
Sammy Jenkins (Malvern, Pa./Conestoga) and
Devin Carlson Swank (Elliotsburg, Pa./Connections Charter) will compete in the pole vault as the seventh seeds with marks of 14 feet 9 inches.
Chase Parkinson (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) will be yet another two-event performer for West Chester this weekend, competing in the long jump and triple jump with marks of 22 1 ¾ and 45 5 ½, respectively. Parkinson's mark in the triple jump is 11
th best in the PSAC heading into the Championships.
Derrick Lukomski-Pizzo (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) will compete in both the shot put and weight throw with marks of 50-3 ½ and 49-10, respectively.
Ben Thornton (Lincoln University, Pa./Salesianum) will compete alongside Lukomski-Pizzo in the weight throw with a mark of 46-11.
Chase Hildreband (Chalfont, Pa.) will also compete for West Chester in the heptathlon, which spans Saturday and Sunday. Hildreband will begin his weekend in the 60m dash at 12:45 on Saturday before competing in the final event of the Heptathlon, the pole vault, on Sunday at 12:15.
Asked about a final message to the team before the Championships get underway on Saturday, Leak said, "Set a tone, remember where we were this time last year, and be excited. For our older student-athletes, this isn't their first rodeo, so I'll be looking for them to help bring the younger ones along. Courage is an absence of fear that comes when you know you are part of a larger group. When they compete this weekend, they aren't competing alone; they represent something bigger than just themselves, and I think that knowledge and excitement can go a long way."
All-Conference status will once again be up for grabs this weekend as the top three finishers in each event will earn All-PSAC honors.
