Men's Track and Field | February 28, 2020
PHILADELPHIA - A year removed from winning five gold medals at the 2019 indoor league championships, the La Salle University men's track and field team will look to do more of the same this weekend at the 2020 Atlantic 10 Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.
2020 ATLANTIC 10 INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 29 - Sunday, March 1
- WHERE: Mackal Fieldhouse - Kingston, R.I.
HISTORY AT A-10 INDOORS
- The Explorers won five titles as they placed fourth at last year's indoor championship.
- It was La Salle's best indoor team finish since 2014 when the Explorers also took fourth.
- Anthony Hawthorne won the 800 meters, Nathan Gillis won the 1,000 meters, Dennis Manyeah won the high jump and Darian Alston set a school record in his triple jump win. La Salle also took home gold in the 4x800 meter relay.
- La Salle has won two A-10 indoor team titles, with the first coming in 1996 and the second in 2003.
WHO TO WATCH
- This is familiar territory for senior Anthony Hawthorne, who already has five A-10 indoor medals in his pocket from his first three appearances. Hawthorne won gold in both the 800 meters and 4x800 relay last year. This year, he was recently named A-10 Track Performer of the Week after setting a school record in the 800 at 1:49.40, the fastest mark in the A-10 this season. He's also ranked eighth in the mile.
- Redshirt senior Nathan Gillis has also gathered the hardware over his two A-10 indoor showings with three medals in total. Last year, Gillis won both the 1,000 meters and was part of the champion 4x800 relay team. He has been named A-10 Track Performer of the Week twice this season after posting two wins in the 800 meters, and he owns the second fastest 800 time in the A-10.
- In the jumps, junior Dennis Manyeah and Darian Alston will look to defend their titles. Manyeah won both the indoor and outdoor high jump titles last season and owns the third highest jump in the league so far this season. Alston captured the triple jump title a year ago and ranks second in the A-10 in the event this season.
- Ibrahim Kedir will also look to make an impact at his first A-10 indoor meet. Kedir was named A-10 Track Performer of the Week back on Dec. 10 and is ranked in the top 5 in the conference in three different events. He is first in the 5,000 meters, third in the 3,000 meters and fourth in the mile.
- Sophomore Chris Lewis posted a pair of top-5 finishes in the sprints at last year's championship, leading to All-Rookie honors. This year, Lewis is ranked in the top 5 in both of the same events, the 60- and 200-meter dash.
- Additionally, senior Ache Hall leads the Explorers in the hurdles. Hall is ranked seventh in the conference in the 60-meter hurdles. Ryan James, along with Hawthorne, Gillis and Kedir, helped the Explorers win the A-10 Cross Country Championship in the fall. On the track, James is among the top 20 in the league in the 3,000 meters and the 5,000 meters.