Results

PRINCESS ANNE, Md.- Breaking in a brand new season at home, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) track & field team got off to a positive start during the College Lid-Lifter at the Hytche Center Saturday. Several Hawks made impressive debuts, while others soared to new heights as they embarked on another year.

The event started with the women's weight throw and immediately two players made their hard offseason work pay off. Sophomore Regyn Davis-Young (Lanham, Md.) came in first with a new collegiate best of 14.59 meters, and senior Donisha Porter (Aberdeen, Md.) also earned a collegiate high 14.42 meters while coming in second. In the men's edition, senior Rico Duncan (Cheverly, Md.) won with a toss of 16.17 meters.

In the shot put, the women's team earned a trifecta, with Porter winning at 13.38 meters, followed by Davis-Young at 12.60 meters and sophomore Nicovia Carter (Upper Marlboro, Md.) at 12.02 meters. Just like in the weight throw, Davis-Young's throw stands as a new top mark for her as a collegian.

Duncan then edged out a Coppin State thrower to win the men's shot put with a distance of 13.79 meters.

On the track, UMES made their first great strides in the mile, picking up right where they left off at the end of the Hawks' excellent cross country season. Junior Jennaya Hield (Freeport, Bahamas) finished with a 5:26.86 mark to win the women's mile and fellow junior Khalil Rmidi Kinini (Malaga, Spain) narrowly missed his own school record by winning the mile with a 4:13.78. His best mark in the event-4:13.04-seems destined to be replaced by a new school record this season.

In his debut as a Hawk, freshman Jalen Walker (Germantown, Md.) won the men's 400 dash with a time of 51.68 seconds, along with a time of 22.90 seconds to take second place in the 200 dash. Fellow first year Hawks in freshman Jordan Leon (Baltimore, Md.) and sophomore Donovan Mundy (Jacksonville, Fla.) continued their strong seasons with a one-two punch in the 800 meter run. Leon's time of 1:58.00 gave him the victory.

A couple of other top women's performances include freshman Yaminah Smith (Newark, N.J.) and her victory in the 3000 meter run with a time of 11:15.64 and freshman Luan Gabriel (Roseau, Dominica), who secured a second place time of 26.37 seconds.

The Hawk jumpers nearly swept that portion of the meet, with three Hawks-juniors Shauntel Lucius (Newark, N.J.) and Naje Benton (Philadelphia, Pa.) and sophomore Tanise Edwards (Philadelphia, Pa.)-all collecting victories on Saturday. Lucius won the triple jump with a distance of 11.85 meters while Edwards won the long jump at 5.49 meters, a new collegiate best for the sophomore. Benton took both events on the men's side with a distance of 14.71 meters in the triple jump and a new top mark of 7.29 meters in the long jump.

However, the team saved their final thrills for the relay races at the end of the day. The ladies' team of sophomore Dypna Umunakwe (Bronx, N.Y.), Gabriel, and freshmen Alicia Colson (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Lenneisha Gilbert (Miami, Fla.) battled hard against four other teams and gutted out a second place finish at 4:01.12.

Then came the men's turn to run the race that would complete the day, and the Hawks' quartet ended the meet on a high note. Freshman Michael Rollins (Waldorf, Md.) and Mundy got the team off to a good start but a Delaware State team ran neck-and-neck with them. When Walker got passed on the third leg, the steady freshman was unfazed and handed the baton to Leon in a close second. The sophomore ran the final leg with reckless abandon, ultimately passing the Hornets runner in the home stretch to seal a win and a time of 3:26.28.

After a month of training, the Hawks will resume the indoor season in January.