Lafayette track and field athletes competed in the Penn Relays and the Lehigh Games, their last meets before the Patriot League Championship.

The team sent men’s and women’s 4×400 relay teams, along with field star senior Dave McGriff to the Penn Relays.

McGriff earned 11th place in the hammer. While not making a splash in the rankings, the men’s relay of sophomore Tyler Hubeny, senior Tyler Pressl, sophomore Justin Johnson and senior Brendan Carroll ran a 3:21.79 time, and the women’s team of freshman Sophia Gardinier, junior Charlotte Gacek, junior Amy Hewlett and sophomore Crosby Spiess earned a 4:04.48 finish.

At the Lehigh Games, Lafayette earned 14 finishes in the top-10.

Senior Steven Young and freshman Brian Kaufmann earned 1st and 2nd place, respectively, in the long jump. Freshman Thomas Anthony and junior Jacob Coburn also earned 1st and 2nd place respectively, in the 5000 meter. Freshman Sam Fishbein earned two top-10 finishes on the day, taking 3rd in the hammer and 7th in the shotput.

“We’ve really lucked out with the weather,” junior Mark DiPaola said. “It’s been really nice and sunny a lot of the days. Just about everyone has set some sort of season best or personal best the past two weeks across every single event, so everything is clicking together pretty well for us.”

Lafayette will host the track and field Patriot League Championship on Friday, May 4, and Saturday, May 5.

“It gets all of us motivated and we are ready to put it out there on race day,” DiPaola said. “I think for the seniors, that [having the Patriot League Championships at home] is the best way to go out, as it’s a lot of their last meets of their college career and maybe the last meet they ever do. Being at home is extra special, as it’s a great opportunity for parents, alumni, students and faculty to come out.”

Competing at home, combined with recent success can give the Leopards momentum.

“I think it’s the perfect storm of factors lining up for us, especially since we have been doing well,” DiPaola said. “Everyone wants to be at leagues and compete their best because it’s here.”

DiPaola expects good performances from senior Dave McGriff, senior Sam Cutrone, junior Harvey Situ and the women’s 4x800m relay team of junior Amy Hewlett, sophomore Crosby Spiess, junior Caroline Harmon and senior Alexa Kwapinski.

Disclaimer: Amy Hewlett is the sports editor of The Lafayette. She did not edit the content of this article.