Sophomore Jordan Hall, sophomore Isaiah Bullock and first-year Quincy Dunn warming up on the track during the Richard Drake Invitation on Sunday, Feb. 4.
James Hill|Courtesy
The Marlins Track and Field teams started 2024 with record-breaking performances. On Jan. 19, at the Marlin Invitational, first-year Natasha Tate took first place and broke the school record in the women’s 60-meter dash with a time of 7.83 seconds. Junior Jalen Davis broke the record in the weight throw and took first place at the Marlin Invitational with a mark of 15.44 meters. Sophomore Jordan Hall broke another school record and took second place in the men’s 400-meter with a time of 49.45.
Head Coach Dillon May provided insight about Davis’s record. “I think that’s the first time someone has broken 15 meters in weight throw since I think 2018,” May said.
The record is special to May because the previous record breaker had gone on to Virginia Commonwealth University, a NCAA Division I program. Throughout the season, the Marlins compete in different events and even the track can vary. In indoor meets, the track is only 200 meters as opposed to 400 meters outside. At the indoor meets, the NCAA standard is banked 200 meters. Banked tracks create a slope on the turns making it so the runners do not have to slow down as much. Because not everyone runs on banked tracks, it is seen as an advantage, and time gets added on because of it. Some of these records were recorded on a flat track, which goes to show how impressive all these personal records and school records really were.
Hall broke the school record in the 400, and is the first person in school history to break 50 seconds in the event. Assistant Director of Men’s and Women’s Track K’Vonte Scott was notably impressed by Hall’s records. “[Hall] just recently broke 49 again, so now, like he said, there’s only been one person to come close to it and they ran 50 point something,” Scott said.
Following the record-breaking performances at the Marlin Invitational, the Marlins kept the momentum going as they placed fourth at the Oceanfront Invitational on Jan. 19-20. Leading the Marlins, Davis took second place in the weight throw event with a throw of 14.88. Sophomore Carlos Lamoso followed behind Davis, coming in fifth with a throw of 14.18. In the 60-meter hurdles, first-year Semaj Conquest finished in fourth place with a time of 9.31.
For the Women’s Track and Field team at the Oceanfront Invitational, Tate tied her school record in the women’s 60-meter with another time of 7.83. When competing at the Richard Drake Invitational on Feb. 9, the Marlins, yet again, broke another record. The men’s team broke a school record by taking first place in the 4×400 meter relay. The runners who took first and broke the record included junior Aaron Raynor, sophomore Isaiah Bullock, sophomore Izaiah Braxton and Hall. They came in with a time of 3:21.45.
Hall had another successful meet and took first in the long jump and fourth in the men’s 400-meter dash. For the women’s team at the Richard Drake Invitational, Tate broke her own record in the women’s 60-meter with a time of 7.80. She also came in third place in the women’s 200-meter, setting another VWU record with a time of 25.71. Tate was named ODAC Track Athlete of the Week on Feb. 6.
During the winter season, the team lifts heavier, leading to stronger bodies by the time the outdoor season comes. “When we transition from indoor to outdoor as long as we are not dealing with a lightning delay, or you know a lot of wind or anything like that, times typically pick up,” May said.
May talked about the importance of the indoor season and that it essentially gets the runners in the groove leading into the outdoor season. He said he expects the times to become better barring a little dip in March because of cold weather, so it will be exciting to see how the Marlins continue to add on to their successful year so far.
The 2024 Indoor ODAC Championships will run from Feb. 24-25 in Roanoke, Virginia hosted by Roanoke College.
By: Brian Madden
bvmadden@vwu.edu
