Since stepping foot on campus, Shippensburg University freshman Chayce Macknair has displayed nothing but utter dominance on the cross-country course. 

However, the All-PSAC First Team honoree in cross-country can also work his magic on the track at Seth Grove Stadium. Macknair  did exactly that Saturday when SU held its 16th annual Paul Kaiser Classic. Macknair, competing in the 5K, not only bested his closest competition by 10 seconds but shattered the previous meet record by nearly half a minute. His run, pacing at 14:30.55, ranked him 53rd in the nation. 

Fellow freshman Leah Graybill also set the tone Saturday, surmounting her own record in the 100-meters which previously stood at 12.01 seconds. Graybill sprinted to 11.96 seconds in the event, making her the first woman in school history to crack the 12-second mark. 

But outside of the record-setting paces, the men’s and women’s teams combined for 18 wins, with a handful of Raiders reaching provisional times and distances in their respective events. 

On the track, freshman Eric Kirk out-sprinted the opposition in the 100-meters, netting a time of 10.60 seconds, good enough to be the conference leader. Later in the day, Kirk claimed second in the 200-meters and anchored the Raiders’ first-place finish in the 4x100 relay. 

Freshman Stephon Brown shined in the 400-meters, snagging gold. Freshmen Drew Dailey and Alexander Ermold led the mid-distance and distance crew, navigating the best times in the 1,500 and 3,000-meters. Freshman Ian Sherlock cruised to first in the 3,000 steeplechase. 

For the women, Graybill reclaimed the top spot in the 200-meters after losing to California University of Pennsylvania’s Divonne Franklin in the 100-meters. Graybill  also contributed to the team’s first-place rout in the 4x400 relay. Freshman Caroline Mastria garnered second in the 400-meters. 

In mid-distance and distance action, sophomore Kyra Gerber legged it out for seventh in the 800-meters and freshman Leah Moffitt took third in the 3,000 meters. Freshman Isabelle Gulgert ran her season-best in the 5K, a time of 18:32.92, earning her the top spot in the competition.

On the hurdles, sophomore Josh Booth and Matt Lenahan went 1-2 in the 400 event, clocking times of 54.76 and 57.42 seconds. Freshman Lieke Black snagged first, setting a personal record in the women’s 100 hurdles, pacing 1:04.69. Her time now sits second atop the conference standings. 

For jumps, redshirt-sophomore Shamar Jenkins leaped to an NCAA provisional length in the triple jump, 14.80 meters, the 18th best in the country. It would also crown him champion of the event. Sophomore Jordan Winslow was the other Raider representative for the men’s team to claim first, tying in the high jump at 1.95 meters. 

Senior Zarria Williams measured 5.79 meters in the long jump to reach first place. Freshman Kayla Dalhouse, sophomore Jenna Lytle and junior Ariel Jones tallied second, fourth and fifth-place markings. Dalhouse in the high jump and Lytle and Jones in the triple jump. 

In the field, SU sophomore Josh Herbster and graduate Cam Strohe flung two NCAA provisional hammer throws, Herbster’s measuring at 56.78 meters and Strohe’s 56.72 meters. The noteworthy tosses earned them first and second place. 

On the women’s side, junior Kate Matrisciano hurled a new personal record and NCAA provisional of 14.10 meters in shot put. The throw crowned her first, ranking her 22nd in the country. 

Other notables for both teams include reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week Pat Maloney in discus, junior Jacob Gieringer in shot put and sophomore Madisen Kling in discus. Maloney would claim first, respectively, with Gieringer and Kling notching second-place marks. 

The Raiders wrap up their regular season Saturday at the West Chester University Quad Meet before returning home for the PSAC Championships. Event times from WCU are yet to be announced. 

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