FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason track and field teams return home to host their final team meet before next weekend's Atlantic 10 Championships. The Father Diamond Invitational will be held at the Field House on Friday, February 20. The Patriots will welcome athletes from American, Catholic (D.C.), George Washington, Hagerstown CC, Hood College, Howard, as well as other amateur and unattached competitors.
This year's Father Diamond Invitational is a one-day meet that will begin at 2 p.m. with the women's 60m dash semifinals, women's long jump, men's weight throw, and women's pole vault. A complete meet schedule and performance list are linked and available online. The live results website will also provide real-time updates to follow the Patriots throughout the meet.
The following Patriots are scheduled to compete:
Men's Entries
Nadim Abdu (600m, 800m)
William Michael Baker (Shot put, weight throw)
Bryson Barnett (1 mile)
Tarek Benlamkaddem (1000m)
Nicholas Emmert (1000m)
Matt Fisher (400m)
Tristan Harris (Triple jump)
Daniel Hayes (1000m)
Carson Mandis (Shot put)
Alex Pilipski (60m hurdles, long jump)
Cameron Portis (Shot put, weight throw)
Jonathan Regules (800m)
Trent Saben (Pole vault)
Cameron Stearns (1000m)
Max Vom Saal (1 mile)
Women's Entries
Fiona Agyekum (Shot put, weight throw)
Chairely Bido (400m)
Ava Bordner (800m)
Salma Fizaoui (200m, 400m)
Alina Florou Dimitriadou (Pole vault)
Aiko Galvin (800m)
Gabriela Gibson (Triple jump)
Abigail Graham (800m)
Brooke Gunter (Pole vault)
Simone Hamlar (400m)
Amelia Male (Shot put, weight throw)
Lindsey Meadows (1 mile)
Ay'rianna Moore (400m)
Liza Parkhomenko (Triple jump)
Alexa Pinon (3000m)
Miranda Pinon (1 mile)
Morgan Ryerson (60m hurdles)
Hazel Wells (800m)
Aylin Yirmibesoglu (800m, 1000m)
POLE VAULTING IN BLACKSBURG
On Saturday, February 21, pole vaulters Walt Bannerman and Kennedy Drish will travel to Blacksburg to compete in the Virginia Tech Challenge. The men's pole vault is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m., followed by the women's competition at 2:30 p.m. Live results will be available on the linked website.
Both athletes currently lead the A-10 and will look to continue their upward momentum as Championship Weekend approaches.
LAST TIME OUT
At the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational, Kennedy Drish captured her fourth event victory of the season, clearing 4.25m in the women's pole vault invite section. Ella Semple continued her standout indoor campaign with a personal-best 9:28.16 to win the women's 3000m invite section, moving to second in the A-10 standings. Sarah Clark claimed her first collegiate event win setting a personal-best 5:01.26 in the women's mile open section. On the men's side, Aidan Walcott won the 300m in his event debut with a time of 34.33.
Shania Staats recorded a collegiate-best 6.05m in the women's long jump upper section to place third at the meet and remain third in the conference. Freshman Kymara Fernandez finished second in the women's triple jump upper section with a personal-best 11.94m, ranking sixth in the conference. With her performance from last weekend, Fernandez claimed her first Atlantic 10 Women's Rookie of the Week honor.
LAST WEEK'S ALL-TIME TOP 10 ENTRIES
(Women, Men)
3. Ella Semple - W 3000m Run - 9:28.16
5. Biruk Beardsley - M 5000m Run - 14:23.62
7. Aidan Walcott - 300m Dash - 34.33
9. Kaela-Michelle O'Connor - W 60m Hurdles - 8.72
9. Nicholas DeWolfe - M Pole Vault - 4.87m
9. Shania Staats - W Long Jump - 6:05m
10. Helena Santacana - W 300m Dash - 41.20
NCAA INDOOR QUALIFYING MARKS
32. Kennedy Drish - W Pole Vault - 4.26m
46. Walt Bannerman - M Pole Vault - 5.30m
ATLANTIC 10 LEADERS
Walt Bannerman - M Pole Vault - 5.30m
Kennedy Drish - W Pole Vault - 4.26m
Ella Semple - W 5000m - 16:04:84
Jayden Smith - M 60m Hurdles - 7.80
Kailynn Tyson - W Triple Jump - 12.61m
