March 7, 2004

Boston, Mass. - The George Mason men's track and field team crowned a pair of champions on Sunday at the IC4A Championships at Boston University's Tennis and Track Center as Richard Phillips and Marc Kellman won the 55-meter hurdles and triple jump, respectively. The Patriots finished tied for eighth in the team standings with 29 points, one point out of a tie for sixth and five points out of fifth.

Phillips gave a typically dominating performance, winning the event he has been so consistent in throughout the indoor season. He bested Colin Aina of Rhode Island, last year's champion and the meet and facility record holder. Aina ran a 7.26 last year, and Phillips nearly matched that, finishing in 7.27 seconds. Aina was second in 7.29 seconds. Ricardo Melbourne also competed for George Mason in the 55-meter hurdles but he false started and was disqualified.

Phillips will compete in the 55-meter hurdles next week at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.

Kellman won't know until Monday night whether or not he will have the opportunity to take on the nation's best in the triple jump. The sophomore came back from an 11th-place showing in the long jump on Saturday to take the triple jump title with a leap of 15.44-meters. Kellman was one of two competitors to leap better than 15 meters. Teammate Ryan McCoy was fourth in the event with a jump of 14.85-meters.

Also scoring points for the Patriots at the meet was Henry Harris, who was fifth in the 200-meters with a time of 21.43 seconds. Paulvince Obuon of Virginia Military Institute won the race with a time of 20.88 seconds, topping the facility record.