March 29, 2008

Raleigh Relays Complete Results

RALEIGH, N.C. - The George Mason men's and women's track and field teams traveled to the Tar Heel State to participate in the Raleigh Relays on Friday and Saturday, and the Patriots saw six performances qualify for the IC4A and ECAC Championships.

On the men's side, three student-athletes, along with one relay team, met the IC4A qualifying standards. Senior Brian Hay garnered a second-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles final, and met an NCAA regional and IC4A qualifying time of 14.30 event's prelims, while sophomore Michael Pachella picked up the highest finish of any Patriot this weekend with a 1:51.11 finish in the 800-meter run, good for fourth place and a championship qualifier. Junior Mutsa Nyakabau earned qualifying status with his 53.37 time in the 400-meter hurdles, while the men's 4x100-meter relay of Hay, junior Mutsa Nyakabau, and sophomores Marcus Wyche and Justin Nelson finished in 42.36, meeting the qualifying standard.

Two members of the women's squad earned ECAC qualifications in Raleigh, as sophomore Tiara Swindell finished the 400-meter dash in 56.15, while classmate Asia Odum, who previously qualified in the 100-meter hurdles, met the standard once again with a time of 14.22 in the event. The women's 4x200-meter relay team picked up the lone Patriot victory of the weekend, winning the event in 1:41.50. Additionally, three Patriots marked new personal bests at the meet. Sophomore Marie Fields topped her previous personal best by running the 400-meter dash in 56.92. In the same event, Sophomore Latasha Rivers and Junior Crystal Lawrence set new personal records with times of 57.67 and 57.86, respectively.

The Patriots will be back in action next weekend, when the men's team travels to the Colonial Relays in Williamsburg while the women will travel to Austin for the Texas Relays. Additionally, a group of the men's squad will participate in the Florida Relays, being held in Gainesville on Friday and Saturday.