LEXINGTON, VA/WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne men's and women's track & field teams competed at both the VMI Winter Classic and the ASIC Sound Invitational this past weekend, setting multiple school records in the process. 

Competing in a loaded distance field at the ASIC Sound Invite, senior Lewis Budgen broke Jacob Parkinson's school record in the indoor 5000m with a time of 14:29.34, bettering Parkinson's mark from last year by nearly 10 seconds. Breaking her own record in the triple jump was Mackenzie Pringle, who won the event at the VMI Winter Classic with a leap of 12.48m (40-11.50), good enough for the fifth best jump in DII this year. 

"It was a really big day today at both meets," said Director of Track & Field Bob Braman. "Tobe and Mackenzie were spectacular but we had lifetime bests across the board in the jumps. Short sprints and hurdles ran really well, with lots of season and lifetime bests. Zoila was spectacular in the 3000 meters, leading start to finish and missing the school record by just a few seconds. We are setting up nicely for the SAC Championships."

Zoila Sicilia won the 3000 meters at the ASIC Sound Invite, running a time of 10:02.37, ranking her second all-time behind Janet Kwambai's 9:55.66 in that event. Tobechukwu Nwokocha won the long jump with a leap of 7.76m (25-5.50), nearly equaling his own school record. Sofia Ulanday set a new personal best with a jump of 5.41m in the long jump, giving her the win in that event. Sharonda Priester continued her dominant season, taking first in the 400 meters with a time of 56.06. Antonyio Davis moved into second all-time in the 60m Hurdles with a time of 8.05 in the prelims, ranking him 30th in the country. 

VMI WINTER CLASSIC
Men - Top Finishers

• 60 Meter Dash
  • Corey Baker - 1st, 6.90
    • Prelims - 6.80
  • Khalid Hornsby - 2nd, 6.90
  • Zaiyon Evans - 5th, 6.99
• 200 Meter Dash
  • Havyn Spain - 1st, 21.65
  • Khalid Hornsby - 2nd, 21.71
  • Jaylin Bacote - 5th, 22.59
  • Corey Baker - 6th, 22.62
• 400 Meters
  • Jordan Fennell - 2nd, 50.09
  • Corey Ragin Jr. - 6th, 50.95
• 60m Hurdles
  • Liam Sutton - 2nd, 8.17
  • Antonyio Davis - 3rd, 8.22
    • Prelims - 8.05
• Pole Vault
  • Aaron Jennings - 4th, 4.05m (13-3.50)
  • Steven Phan - 4th, 4.05m (13-3.50)
• Long Jump
  • Tobechukwu Nwokocha - 1st, 7.76m (25-5.50)
  • Gabriel Brown - 3rd, 7.27m (23-10.25)
  • Tylei Woolard - 5th, 7.01m (23-0.00)

Women - Top Finishers

• 200 Meter Dash
  • Jani Day - 2nd, 24.88
  • Molly McGrath - 6th, 25.20
  • Zanetta Udo-Obong - 8th, 25.39
• 400 Meters
  • Sharonda Priester - 1st, 56.06
• 60m Hurdles
  • Mackenzie Pringle - 2nd, 8.81
  • Sharonda Priester - 3rd, 8.89
  • Patricija Nemanyte - 5th, 9.27
• High Jump
  • Patricija Nemanyte - 3rd, 1.65m (5-5.00)
• Long Jump
  • Sofia Ulanday - 1st, 5.41m (17-9.00)
  • Arlie Priestley - 2nd, 5.37m (17-7.50)
  • Zenobia Hall - 4th, 5.24m (17-2.25)
• Triple Jump
  • Mackenzie Pringle - 1st, 12.48m (40-11.50)
  • Sofia Ulanday - 3rd, 11.44m (37-6.50)
  • Zenobia Hall - 4th, 11.42m (37-5.75)
  • Arlie Priestley - 5th, 11.40m (37-5.00)

ASIC SOUND INVITE
Men - Top Finishers

• 5000 Meters
  • Lewis Budgen - 8th, 14:29.34
  • Ugolin Anselm - 9th, 14:48.08
• Shot Put
  • Caleb Combs - 8th, 12.91m (42-4.25)

Women - Top Finishers

• 3000 Meters
  • Zoila Sicilia - 1st, 10:02.37
• Long Jump
  • Kaylee Nelson - 9th, 4.96m (16-3.25)
  • Grace White - 10th, 4.57m (15-0.00)
• Shot Put
  • Jillian Stough - 9th, 8.74m (28-8.25)
• Weight Throw
  • Julia Karnilowicz - 6th, 10.56m (34-7.75)
  • Jillian Stough - 7th, 10.12m (33-2.50)

The Bears will complete their final tune-up before the SAC Championships next week when they split between the University of South Carolina Invite and the JDL Last Chance Invitational. The SAC Championships will take place on Saturday, February 28 - Sunday, March 1, at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.