Track team sets records

Sarah Francowic, Sports Editor

Pitt-Johnstown men’s indoor track and field team members set four new school records at the Youngstown State Invitational, Jan. 22.

Freshman jumper Jayshawn Whitfield placed seventh in the triple jump, marking at 43 feet 4.5 inches, and sophomore Gus Yahner marked 14 feet 7.25 inches in the pole vault.

Both qualified for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships and set a new school record.

In the weight throw sophomore Brian Lehman marked 35 feet 8.75 inches, and sophomore Jason Burkes marked in at 20 feet 11.75 inches in the long jump, setting new school records in these events as well.

The Mountain Cats 4 x 400-meter relay team of freshman Matt Karlhiem, Luca Pugliano and sophomore Dartagnan Suchar, along with junior Nathan Lieb, placed sixth to lead the team at the invitational, finishing with a time of 3:32.

“With a year under our belt, we hope to narrow the gap on the podium,” Suchar said.

“Minus a few temporary injury setbacks early in the season the program definitely upped its talents and experience.”

The track and field team practices daily at the Sports Center on campus.

The sprinters, jumpers, and throwers have their own designated workouts along with workouts for before and after their main regimen, according to Suchar.

The team is in its second year under head coach Carl Keifer and assistant men’s and women’s track and field coach Greg Bixel.