Track and Field Shines To End 2019 At Wagner Shootout

Okada wins High Jump, teams combine to set three new NJIT records

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. --- The NJIT men's and women's track and field teams put together an outstanding collective performance in their second meet of the indoor season. The Highlanders competed at the Wagner Seahawk Shootout Friday evening at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex and produced a number of standout efforts.

On the women's side, Miku Okada was responsible for the Highlanders' top performance of the night. Okada won the High Jump with a mark of 1.65m, edging out leapers from LIU, Monmouth, Holy Family, and Bryn Mawr to take the title. Overall, Okada recording three top five finishes - third in the 60 Meter Hurdles (9.44) and fourth in the 4x400 Relay (4:07.63) alongside Sydne Nance, Anjali Pai, and Caitlin Hambor.

Freshman Caitlin Hambor also left her mark on the meet, setting a new NJIT record in the 300 meters (42.72) while just missing the top five (6th).

For the Highlander men, the quartet of Acacio Escada (52.2 400m), Hamza Qureshi (22.3 200m), Ndubuisi Obi (23.6 200m), and Joseph Onubogu (1:57.7 800m) combined to set a new NJIT record in the 1600 Sprint Medly (3:36.01) and took second place overall.

Eugene Graves III joined Hambor in the NJIT record books for the 300, setting a new Highlander freshman mark of 36.33 with his 14th place run.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Sydne Nance: 4th in 60 Meters (8.11)
Jacob Leigh: 7th in High Jump (1.90m); 9th in 60 Meters (7.10)
Hamza Qureshi: 8th in 300 Meters (35.75)
David Munera: 9th in 600 Meters (1:26.77)
David Essel: 9th in 3000 Meters (9:08.88)
Matt Bacchi/Ryan Budhu/Eugene Graves III/Jacob Leigh: 4th in 4x400 Relay (3:24.71)
Billy Forrester: 5th in Shot Put (13.77m); 9th in Weight Throw (13.28m)