LYNCHBURG, Va. - Hood College's Jamel Mins (Columbia, Md./Atholton), Chris Sappe (Ijamsville, Md./Urbana), Dustin Miller (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson), the 4x400 relay team, and Owen Ellington (Laurel, Md./Gonzaga College) all broke school records, leading the men's track and field team at the Liberty Open, hosted by Liberty University.

Record Breakers

• Sappe broke his fifth school record of the season. The first-year student placed eighth out of 57 runners in the 800-meter run, with a time of 1:57.55. He was the top finisher of all Division III entries in an event with participants from all divisions. The time cut over three seconds from the record previously held by Zach Crossey (2:00.23) in 2017.   
• Mins broke his own record in the 200-meter dash, with a time of 22.66 seconds, placing 13th in the event out of 79 participants. He was also the top finisher out of all Division III entries in an event with participants from all divisions and cut 0.13 seconds from his previous record of 22.79, which was set in 2022.
• Miller also broke his own record in the weight throw, with a mark of 13.84 meters (45-05), placing 10th in the event out of 33 participants. The top Division III finisher in the event, his mark bested his previous record of 13.72 meters (44-5 ¼), which was set two weeks ago at Virginia Wesleyan University.  
• The 4x400-meter relay team of Mins, Owen Ellington (Laurel, Md./Gonzaga College), Evan Ellington (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) and Sappe ran a time of 3:30.00, placing second in there in the event. The time cut just over two seconds from the record of 3:32.23 that was set at the Blue Marlin Invitational back on January 20.       
• Owen Ellington (Laurel, Md./Gonzaga College) became the first Blazer to run the indoor 400-meter hurdles, running a time of 1:03.28, placing fifth. 

Highlights 

• Miller also recorded a career-best in the shot put with a mark of 12.19 meters (40-0), placing fourth out of 33 participants. 
• Evan Ellington (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) ran a career-best in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.10, placing 23rd out of 79 participants.

Notes 

• No team scoring was tracked 
• Hood sent a participant to the Frank Colden Invitational at Ursinus College, that we placed tied for 24th place. 

Up Next

The Blazers are back in action in the Plex Shootout, hosted by Alvernia University on February 11.