COLLEGE PARK, Md. — School records were smashed and the Terrapin Track and Field squad made their mark at the National level during the 2019 season. 
 
Throughout the indoor and outdoor track seasons, eleven school records were broken en route to eighteen post-season qualifiers for the first round of the NCAA championships. Twenty-three athletes were recognized as Spring Academic All-Big Ten selections and six athletes received Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Awards.
 
The eighteen team members at the NCAA first round is the highest number of NCAA qualifiers since the university's track and field program began.  The squad also set the bar high at the Big Ten championships with five top three performances.
 
Greg Thompson became the first male Big Ten Champion since joining the conference after securing victory in the Discus.  In addition, Thompson won the prestigious Penn Relays title in this event and set a new school record mark of 215'1" (65.56m). Throughout the season he was named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week three times and made a name for himself as one of the most decorated throwers in Maryland history.
 
The men and women's 4x400m relay teams showed dominance this season with both squads qualifying for the NCAA first round.  The team of Aaron Robinson, Kameron Jones, Hazem Miawad, and Dashawn Morris broke a 40-year school record posting a time of 3:06.61. Darryl Bryant, Mark Fields, Renaldo Nehemiah, and Chris Person set the previous record of 3:07.20 back in 1979. The women's squad also rallied during the outdoor season to break the previous school record by two seconds in a time of 3:35.90.  Xahria Santiago, Cheyenne Jones, Destiny Ward, and Venida Fagan set this mark at the Pepsi Florida Relays. 
 
Three high jumpers qualified for post-season competition with Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis, Sam Shoultz, and Nate Moore representing the Terps at the first round of NCAA competition.  Lefebvre-Oatis continued on to the NCAA finals in Austin after jumping a season best of 5'9.25".  In addition to qualifying for NCAA competition, Shoultz earned a forth place finish at the Big Ten Championships with his season best mark of 7'2.50".  Moore placed 7^th at the Big Ten Championships and jumped a personal best of 6'11".
 
Jewel Smith and Leah Blackall were two of the most consistent performers for the Terrapin squad throughout the 2019 season.  Smith wrapped up her successful career in the Long Jump with a thirteenth place finish at the National Championships.  Smith finished off her senior season with a personal best of 20'4.5" in the long jump and is a two-time NCAA qualifier and All-Big Ten performer.  Leah Blackall had a breakthrough year in the triple jump posting a personal best of 42'6.25" en route to a second place finish at the Big Ten championships.
 
Alexandra Lucki left a lasting mark in the middle distance events and set a new school record during the outdoor season.  Lucki qualified for the NCAA championships with a collegiate best of 4:18.62 and has since surpassed this running 4:13.32 in summer competition.  Lucki also set a new school record in the 5000m run at 16:20.01 also qualifying for NCAA first round competition in this second event.
 
Xahria Santiago earned All Big-Ten honors for the second year in a row, placing 2^nd in the 400m hurdles at the championships.  Santiago ran a season best of 56.88 and also made her way to the NCAA finals in this event.  Throughout the season, Santiago also set a new personal best in the 400m dash at 54.08 and was the lead off runner on the school record 4x400m relay.
 
Kameron Jones and Dashawn Morris took turns breaking the school record in the 400m dash. Jones secured the outdoor record at 46.17 and Morris holds the indoor record with a time of 46.91.  Jones dominated his junior season also setting indoor records in the 300m dash (34.10) and the 600m (1:15.32).  Both men were staples on the school record 4x400m relay.
 
Alice Barnsdale claimed a new school record in the Hammer throw and qualified for the NCAA first round in her primary event.  Barnsdale recorded a throw of 205'10" at the peak of her season.
 
Heading into the 2019-20 season head coach, Andrew Valmon, is looking to keep the momentum going. "We had a great year in 2019 but I am going to set the bar even higher heading into 2020.  I am proud of the way that our team stepped up this year and I know they are hungry for more.  The upperclassmen have paved the way for the future and our returning athletes know what needs to be done to get top level results."
 
Recap of the Terps' outdoor season by the numbers: 

• 56 first place finishes throughout the outdoor season
• 6 school records were broken during the outdoor season and 5 school records were recorded during the indoor season
• 23 Terps earned Big Ten All-Academic Honors
• 5 All-Big Ten performances were achieved (top three place finish)
• 18 athletes qualified and competed at the 2019 NCAA first round Championships
• 5 athletes moved on to the NCAA final rounds