FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason track and field welcomed the indoor season back to Fairfax on Friday, opening the Patriot Games at the Field House for their first home meet of the year. Action began at 4 p.m. with the women's pentathlon 60m hurdles, officially kicking off the combined events. Competition continued throughout the evening as the women's pentathlon and men's heptathlon unfolded alongside finals in the women's and men's 5000m run, highlighting the half-day schedule.
On the track, Morgan Ryerson, the sole Patriot competing in the women's pentathlon, recorded a season-best 8.96 in the 60m hurdles to open the meet. Sophomore Nicholas DeWolfe followed with a personal-best 7.08 in the 60m as part of the men's heptathlon.
George Mason's multi-events athletes continued their impressive showings in the field events. DeWolfe registered another personal record by clearing 1.80m in the high jump, while freshman Alexander Pilipski also set a personal best with a mark of 1.74m. DeWolfe bested the rest of the field in long jump (6.68m) and shot put (12.45m), sitting in first place in the men's heptathlon after four events, with three remaining tomorrow. Making his heptathlon debut for the Patriots, Pilipski currently sits sixth in a field of 11.
Several distance runners took to the track for the Green and Gold in the 5000m run. On the women's side, senior Abigail Graham and freshman Lindsey Meadows represented the Patriots. The men's race featured sophomores Bryson Barnett, Jackson Rowe, and Max Vom Saal, junior Biruk Beardsley, and seniors Robbie Jenkins and Lloyd Sheppard. Barnett (14:55.87) and Rowe (15:21.04) both set personal bests, while Jenkins finished third with a time of 14:33.02. Sheppard claimed the first event win for the Patriots at the home meet with a time of 14:21.93 and enters the George Mason indoor all-time program record books in fourth.
The Patriots will return to action tomorrow for Day Two of the Patriot Games to complete the men's heptathlon and the rest of the scheduled events. A complete meet schedule and live results are available online to follow the Patriots' performances.
