ROCHESTER, NY - The Utica University track and field program wrapped up Day 1 of the Empire 8 Championships on Friday. The women sit in third place with 31 points and the men are in second with 64 points.
 
Laura Meade set a new school record in the women's pentathlon with 2,955 points which won the heat. Nora Devitt placed sixth with 2581 points which is now ranked fifth all-time.
 
Jane Fahy set a school record in the women's shot put with a fantastic toss of 13.24 which was over 1.5 meters better than second place. Hunter Logan (Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer College) won the men's shot put with a toss of 15.82m. Billie Mays III (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) placed second with his best toss sailing 14.56m. Justin Swavely (Rome, NY/RFA) (13.45m) came in fifth and Michael McNeil (Yarmouth, ME/Yarmouth) followed in sixth with his top toss being 13.13m which set a new personal record.
 
Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollows Hills West) came in third place in the men's mile with a time of 4:29.23 which is now fifth all-time. Zach Brown came in sixth with a time of 4:41.20. Mackenzie Mix finished second in the women's 400m clocking in at 58.02. Andy Hadasz (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) placed sixth with a time of 51.44. 
 
Nolan Flynn (Bethel, CT/Bethel) turned in a great day with two top performances. In the 60m he finished in 7.15 which is seventh all-time. He then finished the 400m in 51.18 which is fifth all-time in school history. 
 
Zuriel Wright (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) and Dion Putaski (Vernon, NY/Vernon-Verona Sherrill) turned in great performances in the men's long jump. Wright finished second and his mark of 6.86m is now third all-time. Putaski finished third and his mark of 6.74m is sixth all-time. 
 
Michael Roberts (Remsen, NY/Remsen) came in sixth in the men's 5000m with a time of 16:31.75. The women's distance medley team of Gianna Welker, Janaiya Cruz-Bermudez, Noella Burlette, and Jade Dening finished fifth with a time of 13:39.10. The men's team of Hayden Lohmann (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham), Ethan Kain (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford), Tobias Jeralds (Chatham, NY/Chatham), and Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollows Hills West) placed second with a time of 10:51.43.
 
Jack Rathburn () came in third in the men's pole vault with a mark of 3.70 and Brady Szekeres (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley) came in fourth which were personal records for both.
 
Utica has a handful of athletes heading to the finals tomorrow and the list is as follows: Laura Meade (60mH), Justin Valentin (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville) (60mH), Brady Szekeres (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley) (60mH), and then Mackenzie Mix, Nolan Flynn (Bethel, CT/Bethel), Andy Hadasz (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), and Zuriel Wright (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) in the 60m.
 
There are new AARTFC qualifiers as Dion Putaski (Vernon, NY/Vernon-Verona Sherrill) is now ranked in the long jump, Nolan Flynn (Bethel, CT/Bethel) is ranked in the 60m and 400m, and Nora Devitt is ranked in the pentathlon. 
 
Cole DeKing () had a day for personal records in the 60m (tie), long jump, shot put, and high jump. 
 
The teams will continue Day 2 of the Empire 8 Championships tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m.