By: by Scott Lipsky
Full Meet Results
Cullowhee, N.C.- The Kennesaw State men’s track and field team continued to look impressive in the early stages of their outdoor season, breaking three school records and winning six events at the Beynon Sports Surfaces Catamount Classic at the Catamount Athletic Complex at Western Carolina University.
Speed was the name of the game for the Owls on Saturday during the one day event. Freshman Travis Benton began to make his mark on the Owls program, setting the school record in the 200 Meters, posting a time of 21.21 seconds to finish fourth. He was also part of the 4x100 Meter Relay team that set a school record on Saturday, joining Jemir Martinez, Kendall Parks, and Frank Minton as the second leg in their 40.45 second effort.
Junior Adam Reed bolstered the Owls record book with his effort in the Pole Vault, clearing 14-feet-11-inches to finish fifth in the event. This is the first year Kennesaw State has featured men’s pole vault, giving Reed and his teammates in the event multiple chances to make historic contributions to the program.
Gianni Catalano, the resident anchor in the 800 Meters, did not disappoint on Saturday, handily winning the event in 1:52.73, three tenths of a second in front of the runner-up. Junior Nathan Haskins, who ran in his first outdoor track event in almost two years on Saturday after red-shirting in 2009, made an impressive comeback, winning the 5000 Meters with a time of 15:16.28. He was joined in his success with fellow distance runner, freshman Ryan Burruss, who was making his collegiate outdoor track and field debut. Burruss would win the 3000 Meter Steeplechase in 10:00.38.
The quartet of Adika Smith, Josh James, Parks and Martinez solidified Kennesaw State’s dominance in Saturday’s relay events, winning the 4x400 with a time of 3:17.53.
Senior Josh McNair, the runner-up in the 2008 Atlantic Sun Conference Championships in the Hammer Throw, looks poised to better that mark come May, and showed it on Saturday, winning the event with a throw of 177-feet-four-inches.
The six event victories were among the 17 top-three finishes the Owls amassed on Saturday, in the meet that included A-Sun rivals East Tennessee State and USC-Upstate.
The Owls return to action this Friday when they travel to Gainesville, Fla. to take part in the Florida Relays.
