Newport News, VA – Entering today's opening Indoor Meet, the Regent University Men's and Women's Track & Field Teams were competing for the first time ever as a NCAA DIII program and Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference member.  The Royals would field their largest team ever and with the increase in student-athletes, they kicked off the indoor season with strong performances at the CNU Holiday Open hosted by Christopher Newport University.  Not only were a number of personal records set, but six school records were set/broken, while Senior Kevin Cropper (Oak Hall, VA) and Freshman Gabrielle Butler (New Kent, VA) both claimed an event title. 

Women's Track Events 

60m Dash: 

• Freshman Elizabeth Olojo (Hanover, MD) clocked 8.54 seconds, placing 10th overall, which was a Personal Record. 

• Freshman Keasia Johnson (Emporia, VA) finished in 9.45 seconds, for a Personal Record 

60m Hurdles: 

• Junior Kristi Moser (Indian Trail, NC) advanced to the finals after running 10.16 seconds in prelims. She improved to 9.96 seconds in the final, finishing 5th overall. 

• Junior Shylah Wells (Youngsville, NC) ran 11.74 seconds for a Personal Record. 

200m Dash: 

• Wells ran a solid 30.83 seconds, finishing 23rd. 

• Johnson set a Personal Record at 33.61 seconds. 

800m Run: 

• Butler delivered one of Regent's highlights, winning her section and finishing 1st overall with a time of 2:29.68, which was a School Record. 

• Freshman Muriel Jean Louis (Virginia Beach, VA) also competed, running 3:25.51 for 10th place. 

1 Mile Run: 

• Freshman Priscilla Wafula (Suffolk, VA) competed in her debut collegiate mile, finishing in 8:05.65 for a Personal Record. 

3000m Run: 

• Freshman Louise Monga-Rochard (Toana, VA) posted a strong effort in her first indoor 3K, finishing 4th overall in 11:40.59, setting a Personal Record and a School Record.   

Women's Field Events 

Long Jump: 

• Moser led Regent's jumpers with a mark of 4.47m, finishing 9th overall and earning a spot in finals. 

• Wells followed with 3.98m for 13th place. 

• Vandervoort recorded 3.49m to finish 14th, while setting a Personal Record. 

Men's Track Events 

60m Dash: 

• Senior Asher Ellis (Morganton, NC) finished his preliminary heat in 8.11 seconds, placing 27th overall. 

60m Hurdles: 

• Sophomore Jacob Winck (Breezewood, PA) finished with a time of 9.55 setting both a Personal Record and a School Record. 

200m Dash: 

• Ellis finished at 27.15 

400m Dash: 

• Winck recorded a time of 53.63, to finish 15th. 

800m Run: 

• Freshman Mikael Jarrett (Virginia Beach, VA) earned a Top 10 finish coming in at 20:08.63 for 7th place and a Personal Record. 

• Freshman Bryce Nearman (Stafford, VA) also competed, running 2:24.15 for 18th place and a Personal Record. 

1 Mile Run: 

• Sophomore Thomas Isaac (Burke, VA) finished in 8th place with for a Personal Record time of 5:11.59 

• Freshman Xavier Gonzalez (Pittsburgh, PA) finished in 15th place with a Personal Record time of 6:24.12 

 3000m Run: 

• Sophomore Thomas Slingluff (Suffolk, VA) finished 8th overall in 9:55.25 

• Freshman Creighton Hartsell (Newport News, VA) set a Personal Record at 11:21.93, which was good enough for 10th place  

• Freshman Cayden Sierra (Newport News, VA) finished with a time of 11:48.22 for a Personal Record 

Men's Field Events 

High Jump: 

• Cropper won the event with a mark of 1.97m, which set a School Record 

Long Jump: 

• Cropper finished 3rd overall with a distance of 6.37m, setting a Personal Record 

Shot Put: 

• Junior Aidan Kingsborough (Clarkston, WA) set a School Record with a throw of 11.11m 

• Senior Ernest Park III (Bentonville, AR) finished with a distance of 9.53m 

• Senior Evan Pond (Powhatan, VA) threw a distance of 8.23m 

• Junior Nigel Rodriguez (Virginia Beach, VA) finished at 7.71m 

• Sophomore Jaxon Sawyer (Virginia Beach, VA) finished with a throw of 7.38m 

Weight Throw: 

• Rodriguez set a Personal Record and a School Record with a throw of 10.01 

• Kingsborough finished with a throw of 9.00m which set a Personal Record 

• Park finished with a distance of 8.99m which was a Personal Record 

• Pond threw a distance of 7.40m for a Personal Record 

Regent will be back in action on Friday, January 9th when they compete in the VCU Rams Invitational which will be held in Virginia Beach.  Start time is scheduled for 9:00am.