Feb. 3, 2007

NEW YORK - Two members of George Mason's men's track and field team - senior Ryan McCoy and freshman Michael Pachella - finished in first place on the second and final day of the Seventh Annual New Balance Collegiate Invitational, held at the New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory in New York City on Saturday.

McCoy's jump of 15.68 meters (51 ft. 5.5 in.) in the triple jump championship was the best in the field of 20 entered in the event. The second-place finisher was Texas A&M's Zuheir Sharif, who recorded a mark of 15.50 meters (50 ft. 10.25 in.). With the leap, McCoy met the NCAA provisional qualifying standard of 15.40 meters.

Also turning in a first-place finish for the men's team was Pachella, who placed first in the 800-meter run championship with an IC4A-qualifying time of 1:51.36. Texas' Jacob Hernandez had the next-fastest time in the event, clocking in at 1:51.46.

On the women's side, freshman Tiara Swindell reached the ECAC-qualifying standard in the 200-meter dash, finishing first in her heat with a time of 25.13 seconds. She beat Maryland's Natasha Emmanuel, who crossed the finish line in 25.38 seconds.

In the 60-meter dash finals, sophomore Murielle Ahoure finished with the eighth-best time, clocking in at 7.48 seconds. Texas A&M's Simone Facey had the fastest time in the field, finishing the race in 7.34 seconds.

Ahoure was also a member of George Mason's second-place 4x200-meter relay team that finished in 1:38.74. Joining her on the team were Ryann Hendricks, Swindell and Marie Fields. The only team with a faster time than Mason's was Pittsburgh's team of Patricia Anyanwu, Raquel Bender, Shantea Calhoun and Shanea Calhoun, who finished in 1:37.98.

Both the men's and women's track and field teams will compete at next weekend's Valentines Invitational in Boston, Mass. The women will also compete at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.