GRANVILLE, Ohio (February 4, 2023) – The Denison University men's track & field team tallied 181.50 team points to win the 2023 Bob Shannon Invitational held on Saturday inside the Mitchell Center. The Big Red finished ahead of Wooster (106.50) in second, NCAA Division II California (Pa.) (102) in third, Muskingum (92) in fourth, Washington & Jefferson (85) in fifth, Kenyon (31) in sixth and Waynesburg (30) in seventh place.

Chris Slater earned the win the weight throw (17.34 meters) for the fourth meet in a row and added a second-place finish in the shot put (14.48 meters).

Collin Hill placed third in the shot put (14.42 meters) right behind Slater while Owen Mathes was fifth in both the shot put (13.56 meters) and the weight throw (12.52 meters).

Angelo Ricci was second in the long jump (6.31 meters) and third in the triple jump (12.56 meters) while Justin Tharayil ended up second in the triple jump (12.63 meters), just ahead of Ricci.

Lastly in the field events, Isaiah Kessler was fourth in the pole vault at 3.95 meters while Grant Plasch was fifth at 3.80 meters, and Jack Blais was fourth in the long jump at 6.13 meters while Liam Quinlan (1.80 meters) tied for fifth in the high jump behind Ricci.

On the track, Denison earned a win from Joshua Lamb, Calvin Bailey, Declan Toomey and Will Cunningham with a time of 10:49.67 seconds in the distance medley relay; and then Jaylin Epps, Malik Holley, Nathan Hydukovich and Plasch teamed up for a win in the 4x200 meter relay with a time of 1:32.38.

That gave Denison a 70.50-46 advantage over Washington & Jefferson that moved to a 93.50-60.50 lead over Wooster after Nico Martinelli and William Allain finished back-to-back in fourth and fifth place in the one mile run with times of 4:49.52 and 4:52.21, respectively.

Denison continued to increase its lead, this time to 117.50-79 over Muskingum after Ari Skolnik earned the win in the 60 meter hurdle finals with a time of 8.37 seconds.

The Big Red lead then became 140.50-89 after Hydukovich (51.42 seconds) and Holley (52.08 seconds) finished back-to-back in second and third place in the 400 meter dash while Epps and Skolnik finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively, in the 60 meter dash, both with a time of 7.09 seconds.

In the 800 meter run, Toomey (2:04.06) was fifth, Cunningham (2:06.91) was sixth and Lamb (2:07.89) was eighth.

After the 200 meter dash in which Holley (23.19 seconds) and Epps (23.71 seconds) finished in second and fifth place, respectively, it was California (Pa.) that moved into second place behind Denison (160.50-98).

Denison's advantage grew to 73.50 points (175.50-102) over California (Pa.) after the 3,000 meter run in which Oliver DiCerbo (8:58.37) was second, Noah Cyr (8:58.87) was third and John Platt (10:44.76) was eighth.

In the final event, Holley, Hydukovich, Bailey and Quinlan finished third in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:38.91.
 
EVENT WINNERS:

• Chris Slater – weight throw – 17.34 meters (56-10.75)
• Distance Medley Relay team – 10:49.67 (Joshua Lamb, Calvin Bailey, Declan Toomey, Will Cunningham)
• 4x200 Meter Relay team – 1:32.38 (Jaylin Epps, Malik Holley, Nathan Hydukovich, Grant Plasch)
• Ari Skolnik – 60 meter hurdle finals – 8.37 seconds

 
TOP-10 FINISHES:

• Chris Slater – second place in the shot put – 14.48 meters (47-06.25)
• Angelo Ricci – second place in the long jump – 6.31 meters (20-08.50)
• Justin Tharayil – second place in the triple jump – 12.63 meters (41-05.25)
• Ari Skolnik – second place in the 60 meter hurdle prelims – 8.60 seconds
• Jaylin Epps – second place in the 60 meter dash prelims – 7.07 seconds
• Nathan Hydukovich – second place in the 400 meter dash – 52.08 seconds
• Malik Holley – second place in the 200 meter dash – 23.19 seconds
• Oliver DiCerbo – second place in the 3,000 meter run – 8:58.37
• Collin Hill – third place in the shot put – 14.42 meters (47-03.75)
• Angelo Ricci – third place in the triple jump – 12.56 meters (41-02.50)
• Malik Holley – third place in the 400 meter dash – 52.08 seconds
• Noah Cyr – third place in the 3,000 meter run – 8:58.87
• 4x400 Meter Relay "A" team – third place – 3:38.91 (Malik Holley, Nathan Hydukovich, Calvin Bailey, Liam Quinlan)
• Isaiah Kessler – fourth place in the pole vault – 3.95 meters (12-11.50)
• Jack Blais – fourth place in the long jump – 6.13 meters (20-01.50)
• Nico Martinelli – fourth place in the one mile run – 4:49.52
• Jaylin Epps – fourth place in the 60 meter dash finals – 7.09 seconds
• Owen Mathes – fifth place in the weight throw – 12.52 meters (41-01.00)
• Owen Mathes – fifth place in the shot put – 13.56 meters (44-06.00)
• Ari Skolnik – fifth place in the 60 meter dash finals – 7.09 seconds
• Liam Quinlan – tied for fifth place in the high jump – 1.80 meters (5-10.75)
• Grant Plasch – fifth place in the pole vault – 3.80 meters (12-05.50)
• Ari Skolnik – fifth place in the 60 meter dash prelims – 7.19 seconds
• William Allain – fifth place in the one mile run – 4:52.21
• Declan Toomey – fifth place in the 800 meter run – 2:04.06
• Jaylin Epps – fifth place in the 200 meter dash – 23.71 seconds
• Jacob Brown – tied for sixth place in the pole vault – 3.50 meters (11-05.75)
• Thomas Zallocco-Smith – sixth place in the 5,000 meter run (16:26.04)
• Will Cunningham – sixth place in the 800 meter run – 2:06.91
• Dagne Auditore – tied for seventh place in the high jump – 1.75 meters (5-08.75)
• Joshua Lamb – eighth place in the 800 meter run – 2:07.89
• John Platt – eighth place in the 3,000 meter run – 10:44.76
• Jacob Brown – ninth place in the high jump – 1.75 meters (5-08.75)
• Jacob Brown – ninth place in the 60 meter hurdle prelims – 8.60 seconds
• Charles Thompson – 10th place in the high jump – 1.70 meters (5-07.00)
• Dagne Auditore – 10th place in the triple jump – 11.87 meters (38-11.50)

 
NEXT UP: Denison will return to action next Friday, February 10, when the Big Red travel to Delaware, Ohio, to compete in the Ohio Wesleyan Open.
 
Bob Shannon Invitational Results