SAN DIEGO - The Tufts University men's outdoor track & field team finished its spring break training week with several strong performances at the Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) Collegiate Invitational on Saturday.
Tufts won both relay races. The 4x100-meter group of Naheim Washington, Alex Lemieux, Luke Botsford and Alex Zsikla ran a time of 41.90 seconds that is tied for fourth nationally early in the the 2022 outdoor season. In the 4x4, Jumbos Noah Turner, Ethan Forde, Lemieux and Botsford combined on a 3:23.89 time that is #9 nationally.
Individuals achieving top 10 rankings at the meet for Tufts included freshman Jay Sharma (pictured) in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 55.48 seconds that is #6 nationally. Long jumper Drew Svoboda went 22'11 1/4" (6.99m) to tie for ninth in the nation. Senior Nick Delaney ran 1:54.59 in the 800 meters, a mark that is 10th in the country.
Willy White is just outside the top 10 at #15 in the 110-meter hurdles (15.31). At #21 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase is Jumbo Ryan Proulx with Saturday's 9:45.85 finish. Indoor All-American Harry Rienecker-Found's first high jump of the outdoor season - 6'3 1/4" (1.91m) - ranks 22nd nationally. Marcus Hardy ranks 24th in the 800 (1:55.75), and Walter Wagude's 3:58.56 in the 1500 is at #24 in Division III.
Tufts had two other 4x4's achieve national rankings - a 3:28.83 by Josh Kersley, Jackson Kiefer, Connor Nightingale and Washington that is #31, and a 3:30.86 by Jackson O'Toole, Wagude, Hardy and Josh Schwartz that is #49.
Others with national top 50 marks at the meet included thrower Louis Tuccio, who now has DIII's 39th-best shot put for 2022 outdoors with a 45'2 1/2" (13.78m) from today's meet. Sawyer Wilson in the 400 (44th, 50.89), and Noah Turner in the 800 (42nd, 1:57.19) are also on the list.
Tufts comes home and hosts the annual Snowflake Classic at Dussault Track next week.
