Men’s Track in First after First Day at VCU

Brandon Oliver Throws for Personal-Best in the Hammer

03/15/08 1:48PM

RICHMOND, VA - William and Mary’s men’s track and field team opened the 2008 outdoor season yesterday by taking control of the VCU Ram Invitational, leading the five-team event 76-57 over the hosts with six events scored.

First Day Results

Sophomore Brandon Oliver (Richmond, Va.) posted the 10th-best mark in school history in the hammer throw, recording a personal-best throw of 152’ 3” to take second. Classmate Adam Gawne (Lyndonville, N.Y.) was third with a personal-best throw of 150’ 1”, and freshman Zach Jordan (Dublin, Ohio) had an impressive collegiate debut for the Tribe, throwing 143’ 9” for fourth place. Sophomore Alex Ball (Winchester, Va.) rounded out the top five with his effort of 136’ 1”.

Sophomore Doug Zimmer (McLean, Va.) is leading the decathlon with 3,377 points with five events left, and is on pace to break the IC4A-qualifying barrier of 6,200 points. Zimmer won three of the day’s five events, including posting the team’s season-best mark of 52.02 in the 400m dash. He also won the high jump by clearing 6’ 2.25” and the long jump with a distance of 21’ 8”. In the 100m dash, Zimmer was second with a time of 11.74 seconds and he took third in the shot put with a put of 34’ 11.75”.

The Tribe had a pair of event winners on Friday, with sophomore Kiernan Lofland (Crozier, Va.) taking the pole vault with a height of 15’ 1” and freshman Chris McIntosh (Owings Mill, Md.) winning the 400m hurdles in a time of 56.78 seconds. Also in the 400m hurdles, sophomore Marty Ross (Brentwood, Tenn.) ran 58.43 for second place, and junior Matt Heidman (Manassas, Va.) was fourth in 59.17.

In the 5,000m run, junior Bryce Wilk (Milbrook, N.Y.) was third in 15:10.05, finishing just ahead of classmate Jared Campbell (Franklin, Ind.), who crossed the line in 15:13.83. Redshirt-freshman Glen Wright Colopy (Cary, N.C.) was fifth in 15:27.80.

The Ram Invitational concludes today.

Team Standings
1. WILLIAM AND MARY 76
2. Virginia Commonwealth 57
3. Mount St. Mary’s 50
4. Wagner 12
5. Richmond 8