ALLIANCE, Ohio – Highlighted by a new school record in the 60-meter hurdles, Denison men's track and field began their 2019-20 indoor campaign on Saturday afternoon at the annual Toy Drive Invitational held at Mount Union's Pederson Field House.
Led by 10 different top 10 finishes on the day, the Big Red received an early charge from freshman Charlie Webb in the 60-meter hurdle prelims where he notched a new school record of 8.66 to qualify for the finals. In the final event, Webb crossed the finish line at 8.73 to place seventh overall, which would still clock in as the third-fastest time in school history.
Webb also competed in the 400-meter dash where he led DU in 12th place with a final time of 54.45. Senior Jack Ruddy followed in 15th place at 55.76. Ruddy's afternoon continued in the 200-meter dash finals where he checked in with a 24.69 in 20th place. Freshman Lance Tobasky trailed by .19 seconds (24.88) to finish 21st overall.
Tobasky's best showing came in the 500-meter dash when he logged a final mark of 1:10.22 to land in fourth place. Jake Coplin headlined DU's efforts in the 60-meter dash thanks to a final time of 7.37 to finish seventh overall.
In the field events, senior Ryan Fleming notched a new personal best in the high jump when he checked in at 6'6.75" (2.00 meters) to finish in second place. Fleming's current mark is the second-best in program history and is only two inches away from tying the school record set by James Jones in 1980 (2.05 meters).
Senior Bryce Stricker also claimed a second-place finish for the Big Red in the weight throw when he reached a final mark of 16.10 meters. Fellow senior Austin McManus followed in eighth place at 13.53 meters and freshman Gabe Springer checked in at 7.13 meters in 15th. Stricker and Springer also competed in the shot put, led by Stricker in eighth place with a launch of 43'8.50" (13.32 meters). Springer logged his second 15th place finish at 25'9.25" (7.85 meters).
In the long jump, Kyle Hou paced DU in sixth place on a maximum leap of 20'5.75" (6.24 meters). Coplin followed in seventh place (20'4.5") and Angelo Ricci finished eighth overall (20'1").
Denison will return to action on Saturday, January 18 when they travel to Westerville, Ohio to compete in the 2020 Snow Globe Invitational at Otterbein University.
