SELINSGROVE, PA – Susquehanna University's men's track and field team kept things cozy Saturday hosting the Susquehanna Invitational, looking to stay loose as they approach the final turn of the indoor season leading up to their title defense at the Landmark Championships later this month. 

First-year Calder Diakite, who earned Landmark Athlete of the Week a few weeks ago, kept up his intensity running the 60-meter hurdles. He and teammate Carter Smink posted preliminary times of 8.43, then Diakite carried over to the finals a winning time of 8.27. Smink finished fourth at 8.56, while senior and fellow finalist Ezra Miller placed fifth at 8.58. With the hurdles removed for the 60-meter dash, sophomore Dominic Santos qualified with a 7.09 time, then placed sixth with a 7.13 finals time. On the distance side first-year Thomas McGann ran a PR of 16:14.77 in the 5,000 meters, while in the mile sophomore James Dell reached a PR of 6:13.34. 

In the 800-meters, first-year Tommy Hover PR'd with a 2:13.08, while right behind sophomore Angelo Facciolo finished with a PR of 2:13.42. Santos carried on with a third-place finish during the 200 meters with a 22.99. In fifth place, first-year Henery Notrafrancesco clocked in a PR of 23.14, while Miller ran to sixth place at 23.26. During the 3000 meters, first-year Joseph LaBarbera and senior Andrew McDowell both reached PRs, LaBarbera at 10:10.52 and McDowell a 10:28.12.

Two sets of River Hawks ran the 4x400 as the team of Nickolai Lulewich, Notarfrancesco, Smink, and junior Rowan Smith, raced to a collective time of 3:30.97, finishing second. The second team consisting of sophomore Ian Anderson, senior Christian Calderaro, sophomore Jack Compton, and firs-year Aaron Kolosowsky ran a combined time of 3:50.53.

Sophomore Bilal Abdelnabi jumps set a new PR in the high jump after clearing 1.79 meters on his final try for fifth place. Over in the horizontal jumps Jackson Mabry also took fifth place in the long jump with a distance of 6.20 meters on his second try, then returned for the triple jump where he took fifth again at 12.97m on his third jump. Deatrick Moyer jumped 12.61 meters in the triple to finish seventh. During the pole vault, sophomore Seth Taub took fourth place at 4.05 meters, only needing four tries to get there after clearing his first try opening on 3.75m, then needing two chances to get past the 3.90m. Sophomore vaulter Lance Engel and junior Thomas Stitt eached cleared 3.60 meters. Mabry with 12.97 meters in Triple Jump places himself in fifth place. 

In all the River Hawks had a successful weekend after getting a boost on Friday watching school records drop at Boston University David Valentine Invitational in the 400 meters and 4x400. Elliott Davis sprinted to a new record time of 48.25 in the four, while he, Mason Winslow, Benjamin Bulger, and Brandon Zimmerman cruised to a new mark of 3:15.09. Both times stand as Susquehanna and Landmark Conference records. 

The team has one more chance hosting the SU Tune Up on Friday, Feb. 21 before heading to the Landmark Conference Championships at Landover, Md.'s Prince George's Sports Complex.