HOUGHTON, NY – The track & field teams met at the Kerr-Pegula Fieldhouse on Saturday for day two of the Empire 8 Championships. If you thought that day one went well, day two brought even more energy and success. Both teams finished 4^th place when all was said and done. The men scored 69 points, besting their 2023 total by 20 points! The women scored 66 points, also besting their 2023 total of 57 points. Amos Bixler fueled the Highlanders on day two with his victory in the 800m. He ran a huge personal best of 1:58.25 to gap the field, and hold on for a comfortable win. He also was a member of the 4 x 400m relay team that finished 3^rd place. Victoria Brewster won two Empire 8 titles on day two. In the 60m, she ran 7.78. This bests her school record by .06 and set a new Empire 8 meet record. Later, she upset Mackenzie Mix of Utica to win the 200m in a school record of 25.90. This passes Amerrah Horne-Vaden's mark of 26.34 from 2022. She'd also run in the 4 x 400m relay that finished 4^th.
 
"I just can't believe what we accomplished today. We swung big in a few events today. I can't help but just feel grateful and happy for our student-athletes for what they were able to do. To have some part in setting them up to succeed and experience energy, such as this, is a joy," said Coach Hager.
 
Other big news from day two was Avery Belanger winning the Empire 8 title in the triple jump. He had a huge personal best of 13.34m to win by almost 30cm. Evan Kurtz finished 3^rd in the 60m in a new personal best and improved his program record to 7.16. Kurtz is still the only Highlander to ever run under 7.20. James Eustace continued his successful meet with a 3^rd place finish in the 800m, in a new personal best time of 1:59.43. He then led off the 4 x 400m in a fantastic split of 53.31. On the women's side, Noelle Linenfelser won the 3,000m, to add to her 5,000m title from Friday. At the meet's end, she was awarded the Empire 8 Women's Track Athlete of the Meet. Madison Palmer continued to move up in the rankings, finishing 2^nd in the women's weight throw and tied the program record of 15.11m. Andrea Melhorn set this record in 2015.
 
Several members of the track & field teams will compete at the All-Atlantic Regional Championships next Friday-Saturday hosted by Nazareth College.