Shippensburg University’s track-and-field team split its squad this week, with some travelling to the York College Twilight Meet on Wednesday and the rest of the team competing at the 2024 Lafayette Open on Saturday. 

The highlight performance of the week was Josh Herbster’s hammer throw, where he set a new Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) record of 210 feet, 6 inches (64.18m).

After already breaking the record on his fourth throw with a mark of 207 feet, 8 inches, Herbster unleashed his new personal best in the following attempt. The distance of 210 feet, 6 inches ranks him sixth on the NCAA Division II performance list, as of Sunday morning.

Herbster was far from being done after the hammer throw. He also set an enormous personal best in the discus throw. He improved his lifetime best by over 10 feet to now 172 feet, 1 inch, which also seeds him 10th on the NCAA DII performance list, as of Sunday morning.

The other four male throwers also had a solid day at Lafayette, with all of them setting new personal bests in the discus throw.

Freshman Donovan Kitchen set new personal bests in the discus, the hammer and the shot put and hit a PSAC qualifier in all three events. Freshmen Gian Greggo and Ridge Crispino also hit the league standard in the discus throw.

On the track for the men, sophomore Teagan Weaver qualified for the PSAC Championships in the 200-meter dash and junior Jeovaughni Daniel improved his lifetime best in the 110-meter hurdles to 14.92, a time that ranks him second in the PSAC as of Sunday morning.

The noteworthy performances of the women at Lafayette were also the discus throw and the hurdles.

In the discus, all five throwers increased their personal bests and sophomores Makayla Decker and Lauren Bellows, as well as junior ShanAnn Simmons, all picked up PSAC qualifying marks.

In the 100-meter hurdles, freshman Ryleigh Marks improved her college best time to 14.56 seconds, which is the conference lead at this early point in the season. Junior Sasha Lee finished right behind her in 14.60 seconds, a new season best that ranks her second in the PSAC.

The high jump and distance efforts highlighted the team’s trip to York on a rainy Wednesday.

The women high jumpers went 1-2-3-4 in the event, with freshman Ashley Laukus leading the pack with a new lifetime best clearance of 5 feet, 5 inches. Freshman Elliot Oliphant placed second with a new personal best of 5 feet, 3 inches. Junior Norah Vallon and sophomore Allyson Richwine rounded out the results. 

Senior Leah Graybill ran the 400 meters and finished with a PSAC-leading time of 56.43 seconds. Junior Victoria Mattioli ran the 5k and picked up a PSAC qualifier.

On the men’s side, junior Kenny Rhyne equaled the NCAA provisional high jump mark with his clearance of 6 feet, 8 ¼ inches (2.04 meters), a height that also had him win the competition.

On the track, the distance men picked up a total of nine PSAC qualifiers. In the 1,500 meters, junior Ian Sherlock, redshirt-sophomore Drew Dailey and sophomores Ryan Wolfe and Garrett Quinan placed 1-4 with PSAC-qualifying times.

Freshman Tommy Crum Jr. led a 1-5 finish in the 5k, with juniors Aiden Gonder and Hayden Hunt going 2-3, sophomore Brennan Wellock placing fourth and junior Nate Harding finishing fifth. 

Next week will see some more split-squad action from the track-and-field teams, as a part of the team will travel to the 2024 Colonial Relays at William & Mary College in Virginia Friday and Saturday, and the rest of the team will compete at the Millersville Metrics on Friday and Saturday.

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