STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The Maryland Track and Field team opened the Indoor season with five first-place finishes and six Terrapins ranking in top-10 program records at the Nittany Lion Opener on Saturday in State College, Pa.
Senior
Angel Nkwonta, in her Maryland debut, made her mark in the history books setting the second-highest marks in program history in the weight throw and shot put.
Sophomore
Joseph Ewan tied his personal record and tied the second all-time program record in the 60m (6.87) which he previously set.
Fifteen total Terps finished on the podium, including nine women and six men.
Program Records
- Angel Nkwonta finished first in both shot put and weight throw. She set a personal-best shot put mark (16.75m, 54-11 ½), this is the second-best mark in the program history and the highest since Maria Walton in 1982. Nkwonta's 20.62m (67'8") weight throw mark also set a record as the second-highest mark in program history.
- Joseph Ewan tied his personal record in the 60m dash (6.87) and is tied for second all-time in Maryland history.
- Sophomore Caleb Dean set a personal record in the 60m hurdles (7.95) and is now ranked fourth all-time in Maryland history.
- The men's 4x400m relay team composed of Caleb Dean, Brian Evans, Maxwell Myers and Colin Rowe finished with a time of 3:15.50 making them the seventh-best team time in program history.
- Maxwell Myers, who currently sits at No. 5 all-time in Maryland men's 600m started his season with a first place finish in the 600m, crossing the line in 1:20.47.
- Travis Valmon finished the 600m with a final time of 1:22.60 giving him the 10th best mark in Maryland history in his first indoor track performance.
- Freshman Kamari Trotz set a personal record (6.92) in the 60m dash and is now tied for 10th all-time in program history.
Women's Notes
- Bria Mack crossed the line first in the 60m dash with a final time of 7.61.
- Junior, Jaida Smith, placed third in the long jump with a leap of 5.58m.
- In her debut, freshman, Madison Depry earned a podium finish clearing 5'7 ¾" in the high jump.
Men's Notes
- Sophomore Drake Murphy earned a personal record in the 60m hurdles (8.37).
- Sophomore Gerald Norgbe set a personal best in the triple jump (14.31m) and finished in third place.
- Junior Kaithon Mcdonald placed second on the podium and set a personal best in the high jump (2.07m)
Coach's Comments
"We have a solid team philosophy. We're building one piece at a time. As long as we're healthy and we're being tested and we're in a safe environment and given an opportunity to compete. We will accept the challenge."
"They have a chip on their shoulder and this year, the team is stronger together and moves together, to weather the storm. And so now I think, we had sort of reminded them of what the legacy is and now in chapter two they now have the opportunity to kind of finish what was started."
I think the team has a good number of new people, transfers veterans and I think he mix that all together I think some of the newness has brought a different mindset. The freshmen brought that youth and exuberance, and then our veterans are under the assumption of having something taken away from you. When you have that mindset you are going to cherish it without a doubt."
Up Next
- Maryland will return to State College, Pa. next weekend to compete in the Penn State Invite on Sat., Jan. 23.
