Indoor Track and Field Captures 10 First-Place Finishes at the Fordham Christmas Invitational

The NJIT indoor track and field teams captured 11 first-place finishes at the Fordham Christmas Invitational held at the Vince Lombardi Center Friday afternoon.

In the men's 60 meter hurdles, the Highlanders finished 1-2-3, led by Kadeem Spencer with a time of 8.98 followed by Connor Penrod (9.02) and Randy Fabian (9.25).

Graduate student Alex Ortega won the men's 400 meter with a time of 49.87 and led off the 4x400 relay, which consisted of Acacio Escada, Shawn Mageean and Ryan Budhu, picking up a first-place finish with a time of 3:25.90.

NJIT's Budhu won the men's 800 meter with a time of 1:56.25, setting a new NJIT school record.

In the men's mile, NJIT finished 1-2-3, led by Jonathan Mobisa (4:34.47), David Essel (4:35.89) and Rob Spies (4:39.34).

Freshman Brandon Kong picked up a first-place finish in the men's pole vault with a height of 4.40m followed by Calvin Gould at 4.10m.

Freshman Connor Letko picked up a fourth-place finish in the men's shot put with a distance of 11.47m.

NJIT's top finisher in the men's long jump was Singh with a distance of 6.41m followed by Kwaku Amponsah at 6.38m.

In the men's triple jump, LaMonte McFarlande and Samuel Manu went 2-3 with marks of 12.83m and 12.70m for the Highlanders. LaMonte McFarlande placed second in the men's high jump with a height of 1.85m.

In the women's 60 meter hurdles, Esther Daramola and Miku Okada went 1-2, clocking in at 9.99 and 10.53 respectively.

Junior Chloe Jelley won the women's mile, crossing the finish line with a time of 5:27.12, followed by Cassandra Raia (5:35.66) and Kelly DiCristina (5:39.09).

Okada won the women's high jump with a height of 1.60m while Sydne Nance took second with a height of 1.55m followed by Daramola at 1.45m.

Freshman Erin Foody notched a mark of 2.30m in the women's pole vault.

Nance finished in the top three in the women's 400 meter, clocking in at 1:01.70.

NJIT went 3-4-5 in the women's 800 meter run, led by Sarah Morgan with a time of 2:30.90, followed by Stuti Vyas (2:31.37) and Jaela Small (2:35.41).

In the women's shot put, Sara Wells paced the Highlanders with a distance of 10.65m, good for fifth place, followed by Shannon Turner (10.13m) and Daramola (9.85m).

The Highlanders will break until the New Year and return to action at the Ramapo Invitational on Jan. 11 at Ocean Breeze Complex in Staten Island, N.Y.