STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The NJIT men's and women's track & field teams' familiarity with the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex and its early season momentum paid off in major ways during Friday's Metropolitan Championships as the Highlanders once again produced a number of outstanding performances across the board.

The NJIT men finished fourth with 81 total points while the Highlander women took fifth with 60 points.

RECORDS BROKEN

• For the third consecutive week, Sydne Nance matched or reset the 200 meter school record. Nance advanced her mark of 25.54 with a 25.52 time and fourth place finish in this week's race.
• Cassandra Raia edged past teammate Stuti Vyas' new 1000 meters record from last week, moving the mark from Vyas' 3:04.63 to a new 3:04.47 that was good enough for third place.
• Raia, Vyas, Grace Burke, and Nadia Zhecheva reset the school record in the Distance Medley Relay, breaking the current time of 12:44.16 with a runner-up time of 12:40.24.
• Anthony Dvorsky set a new freshman record in the 3000 Meters (8:50.72) with his fifth place finish.

HIGHLANDER VICTORIES 

• Sydne Nance and Jacob Leigh swept the 400 Meters events, with Nance winning her race in 57.39 and Leigh running a No. 2 NJIT all-time race of 49.05

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES

• Stuti Vyas: 2nd in 800 meters (2:20.60)
• David Munera: 2nd in 800 Meters (1:56.15)
• Jacob Leigh: 2nd in 60 Meters (6.95); 2nd in High Jump (1.89m / 6-2.25); 3rd in 200 Meters (22.00)
• 4x400 Relay (Matt Bacchi/Thomas Van Saders/David Munera/Jacob Leigh): 2nd (3:22.50)
• Jadyn Otto: 3rd in High Jump (1.50m / 4-11.00)

TOP TENS

• Katherine Castano: 4th in 3000 Meters (11:20.85)
• Nadia Zhecheva: 4th in 800 Meters (2:21.68)
• Brian McGlew: 4th in 3000 Meters (8:43.10)
• Thomas Van Saders: 4th in 60 Hurdles (8.61); 9th in 400 Meters (50.90)
• Matt Bacchi: 4th in 500 Meters (1:06.06)
• 4x800 Relay (Munera/Joseph Mucci/Matthew Morena/David Essel): 4th (8:15.14)
• Nia Holloway: 5th in 60 Meters (7.99)
• Eugene Graves III: 6th in 400 Meters (50.41); 9th in 200 Meters (22.69)
• Belal Embaby: 6th in Shot Put (13.14m / 43-1.50); 9th in Weight Throw (13.03m / 42-9.00)
• McKinleigh Mattie: 7th in Long Jump (5.15m / 16-10.75); 9th in 400 Meters (1:01.55); 10th in Triple Jump (10.18m / 33-4.75)
• Waheeb Khan: 7th in Triple Jump (12.85m / 42-2.00); 9th in Long Jump (6.22m / 20-5.00)
• Grace Burke: 8th in 400 Meters (1:01.37)
• Hamza Qureshi: 8th in 60 Meters (7.27)
• Samuel Manu: 9th in Triple Jump (12.52m / 41-1.00)
• David Essel: 10th in Mile (4:29.80)
• Andrew Shenoda: 10th in 3000 Meters (9:34.82)

OTHER NOTES

• Overall, both programs produced 12 marks that fall within the top five of the NJIT all-time records.

NEXT UP
NJIT will take part in the two-day Rutgers Indoor Open from February 11-12 at The Armory in New York City.