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Robert Morris University Athletics

Steve Mitchell

Men's Track and Field

Colonials Excel at Bennie Benson Invitational

Trio of student-athletes earn individual championships, 4x400-meter relay claims gold

Official Results
Dual Meet Scores (Division I participants)

Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University men's track & field team continued its 2014 season Saturday by hosting the Bennie Benson Memorial Invitational at the RMU Island Sports Center on Neville Island.

Robert Morris outscored both of the Division I opponents that took part in the Bennie Benson Memorial Invitational, outscoring Duquesne, 114-75, and Saint Francis U., 122-66. Individually, a total of three Colonials claimed championships, while the 4x400-meter relay squad also finished first.

Senior Steve Mitchell (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Pittsburgh Central Catholic) won both the shot put and hammer throw for RMU, posting a season-high throw in the shot put thanks to a final mark of 16.39 meters (53'9.25"). In the hammer, Mitchell won the event thanks to a toss of 52.69 meters (172'10").

Senior Chris Carper (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona) competed in the javelin for the second time this season and won the individual title thanks to a tally of 71.09 meters (233'3"). Carper's distance was over 16 meters better than second place, as Michael Irwin of Malone claimed silver with a toss of 54.67 meters (179'4").

Carper was also a part of the Robert Morris 4x400-meter relay squad that finished first with a time of 3:15.95, a time that was good enough to qualify for the IC4A/ECAC Championships and also ranks second in the Northeast Conference in 2014. Carper ran the second leg of the relay that also featured senior Abraham Roy (Middletown, Pa. / Middletown Area), junior Malcolm Ayers (Clarksburg, Md. / Clarksburg) and senior Nicolas Gentile (Sarver, Pa. / Freeport).

Gentile also claimed gold in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.46 to qualify that ranks fourth in the NEC in 2014 as well as qualifies him for the IC4A/ECAC Championships.

Other highlights for Robert Morris in its annual home meet include the performances of senior Kelton Mehls (Dillsburg, Pa. / Northern) and sophomore Nick Delmonaco (Oakmont, Pa. / Riverview) in the discus. Mehls finished second in the event with a throw of 44.90 meters (147'4"), while Delmonaco garnered bronze with a tally of 43.88 meters (143'11"). The marks by Mehls and Delmonaco rank second and fourth, respectively, in the NEC in 2014.

Junior Shane Witmyer (West Lawn, Pa. / Wilson) earned silver and bronze in the jumps for the Colonials. He finished second in the long jump with a leap of 6.45 meters (21'2"), trailing only Sherron Thomas of Seton Hill, who won with a mark of 6.46 meters (21'2.50"). In the high jump, Witmyer earned third thanks a tally of 1.85 meters (6'0.75").

RMU returns to the road for its next meet, visiting Baltimore, Md., for the Morgan State Legacy Meet April 18-19.

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