Shippensburg. University’s track-and-field team had a strong performance in its first home meet of the year, with the men’s and women’s teams combining for 14 event wins, 53 PSAC qualifiers and 44 new personal collegiate bests in the Mid-Week Invitational at Seth Grove Stadium.

SU honored the 20 seniors on this year’s team before the meet started, as they received flowers before walking down the track to meet head coach Dave Osanitsch, who gave them hugs and provided their uniform for the day.

Senior Josh Herbster excelled once again in the hammer throw, winning the event at 212 feet, 11 inches. This distance is both the new SU record and the new PSAC record for the event, beating Herbster’s previous record of 210 feet, 7.5 inches. This mark is also an NCAA provisional qualifier.

The other Raiders on the men’s side to provisionally qualify for nationals was junior Robbie Hrabosky II, who won the 400-meter hurdles at 53.25 seconds, and freshman Gian Greggo, placing third in the shot put at 54 feet, 9.5 inches.

Freshman Lavar Jackson set a new personal best in the 100-meter dash, winning the event at 10.59 seconds, qualifying for PSACs. Another event winner who set a personal record was freshman Jak Kearney, taking the long jump at 23 feet, 11 inches.

Redshirt sophomore Drew Dailey set a meet record in the 1,500 meters, winning the event at 3:54.92. Two more event winners who qualified for PSACs were junior Kenny Rhyne, victorious in the high jump at 6 feet, 7.75 inches, and junior Robert Lissner, taking the pole vault at 14 feet, 9 inches.

The men’s team closed out the day with a victory in the 4x4 relay, which took place in near pitch-black conditions, the result of an approximately 30-minute technical delay earlier in the day. The quartet of Dailey, freshman Jackson Gutekunst, sophomore Chase Hensinger and junior Ryan Scicchitano finished with a time of 3:28.81.

Junior Leah Graybill had herself a day, earning victories and NCAA provisional qualifiers in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, with times of 11.68 seconds and 24.17 seconds, respectively. Her time in the 100-meter dash was a meet record and tied the school record, a mark she previously held.

Joining Graybill in provisionally qualifying for nationals was junior Sara McKean, taking the long jump at 19 feet, 4.75 inches, a new season best for her. Freshman Ashley Laukus also triumphed in a jumping event, winning the high jump at 5 feet, 5 inches, a new personal record.

Another pair of winners on the women’s team were freshman Ryleigh Marks, claiming the 100-meter hurdles with a new personal best of 14.34 seconds, and sophomore Makayla Decker, best in the discus with a throw of 136 feet, 5 inches.

The Raiders track-and-field teams will be home once again on Saturday, hosting the Paul Kaiser Classic for the last meet before the PSAC championships. Action starts at 9 a.m. at Seth Grove Stadium.

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