COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Track & Field squad hit the road at Vanderbilt and Navy this weekend, in the final tune up prior to the indoor Big Ten Championships. As the Terps turn up the volume heading into championship season, several personal best performances were achieved and a new school record was set.

Freshman Dashawn Morris did not disappoint in his first open 400m race of the season. Morris won the event at the Vanderbilt Music City Challenge in a school record time of 46.92. The previous record was held by teammate, Kameron Jones, set in 2018. Jones also ran well in the 400m dash placing 10^th in 47.70.  Freshman Colin Rowe ran a season best of 49.10.

In the Women's 400m two ladies set a season best with Destiny Ward running her first 400m dash of the season posting a time of 55.89 and Venida Fagan running 56.46. Thaila Cooper ran 57.54. Cheyenne Jones joined these three women in the 4x400m relay, capping off the day of competition with a season best relay performance running 3:42.27.

The mid and long distance athletes at the Music City Challenge also started their peak with top performances. Aaron Barlev set a new PR in the mile run posting a time of 4:12.81. Hazem Miawad took an early lead in the men's 800m and held on for a collegiate best time of 1:52.92.  Christine Laurie improved on her mile time posting a personal best mark of 4:55.14.  In the 3000m run, Brittany Lang shaved some time off of her best in this event with a finishing time of 9:49.28. Kathryn Gearhart geared up for the longer distance events running the 5k in 17:35.45.

Dropping down to the short sprints, freshmen Jaida Smith and Imani Gray both posted season best runs in the 200m dash finishing in 24.97 and 24.99, respectively.

In the field, Leah Blackall continued to shine in the triple jump, taking advantage of some strong competition to set a new personal record. Blackall jumped 40'7" (12.37m), good for 8^th place. Jewel Smith finished 5^th in the long jump competition with a leap of 6.07m (19"11).

Meanwhile, at the Naval Academy, junior Paige Novak set a duo of personal best performances in the 1000m and Mile run. Novak ran to a 3^rd place finish in the 1000m run with a time of 2:59.83. She set a new best in the mile with a time of 5:07.86.

Ryan Scott finished on the podium (third) in the 800m run by running a season-best 1:56.14. Will Jones also ran a season-best 4:22.32 in the mile and finished third. In the 1000m run, Jared Loadholt took fourth by running 2:35.68.

In the short sprints, Andrew Alfano took ninth in the 60m dash running a 7.18. Alfano also finished eighth in the 200m dash by running a 22.80.

In the field, Kamryn Henderson threw 12.46m in the shot put, which was good for fourth place, and Alice Barnsdale threw 16.83m in the weight throw, which earned her third. Also in the weight throw, Bayli Smith threw 16.34m and Henderson threw 15.09m.

Gwendolyn Zeckowski took fourth in the women's pole vault, clearing 3.65m.  Chris Spiess set a season best in the men's vault with a clearance of 4.80m. 

The squad will have an off weekend prior to gearing up for the Big Ten Championships hosted by Michigan on February 22^nd and 23^rd.