SPRINGFIELD, MA- Senior Michael Wright (Baldwin, NY/Uniondale) and freshman Mickey Jusme (Providence, RI/Classical) each posted two NCAA national meet provisional qualifying standards to lead the Wheaton College men's and women's outdoor track & field teams during Saturday's Springfield College Invitational at Blake Track.

The women took third among 12 teams with 117 points, trailing New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) counterparts Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Springfield. The Lyon men scored 65 points and finished sixth out of 13 squads. MIT captured both team titles.

Not only did Wright exceed NCAA marks in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, but he also bested a 12-year-old school record in the 200, as his time of 21.63 was 0.15 seconds faster than the previous record. Wright took third in the 200 and finished as the runner up in the 100 with a provisional time of 10.77. Junior Merzudin Ibric (Revere, MA/Phillips Academy) also secured a provisional in the 200 while placing fourth in 21.79.

Junior Howard Powell (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) topped the field in the 110M hurdles and placed fifth in the 400M hurdles, while sophomore Mark Williamson (Vienna, VA/James Madison) placed second in the 400M. Freshman Marcus Dennis (Hyde Park, MA/Thayer Academy) took third and fifth in the triple and long jumps, respectively. Classmate Kyle Ricci (Warwick, RI/Bishop Hendricken) was sixth in the 400.

Wheaton's fourth-place 4×100M relay team, which was comprised of Ibric, Ricci, Williamson and Wright, was 0.01 seconds short of third, while its 4×400M relay squad, consisting of juniors Michael Latner (Torrance, CA/West) and James MacCarthy (Oakton, VA/James Madison), sophomore Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston) and freshman Dylan Treivush (Beverly Hills, CA/Harvard-Westlake School), placed sixth.

Jusme's second-place triple jump of 39′ 4″ was shy of an automatic qualifying standard and exceeded the previous top Division III distance in the country. In the long jump, Jusme bested the field with a provisional leap of 18′ 4 1/4″. Senior Natana Jules (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) won the 800M, while Jusme, junior Renee Thompson (Hartford, CT/Weaver), sophomore Laurenmaria Smith (Providence, RI/Hope) and freshman Didine Jusme (Providence, RI/Classical) comprised the winning 4×100M relay foursome.

Senior Lauren Reddy (Walnut Creek, CA/Carondelet) was the runner up in the 5,000M run, senior Christine Moreau (Lincoln, RI/Lincoln) came in second in the 400M hurdles, Didine Jusme was the runner up in the 100M hurdles, and Wheaton's 4×400M squad of Jules, Moreau, senior Lily Calderwood (Harvard, MA/Bromfield School) and freshman Lauren Cardarelli (Cranston, RI/La Salle Academy) also took second.

Senior Morgan Jamiel (Warwick, RI/Toll Gate) and freshman Lauren McGrath (Wading River, NY/Shoreham-Wading River) went three-four in the 100M hurdles, freshman Tope Waheed (East Providence, RI/East Providence) turned in a third-place mark in the hammer throw, while Cardarelli and Thompson each finished fourth in the 100M and 400M events, respectively.

Wheaton's second 4×400M relay quartet, comprised of senior Celeste Karpow (Wilton, CT/Wilton), junior Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield), sophomore Meagan Jennett (Charlottesville, VA/Western Albemarle) and freshman Savannah Geasey (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth), came in fourth. Finishing fifth were Smith in the 200, sophomore Caleigh Greenwell (Warwick, RI/La Salle Academy) in the hammer throw and freshman Ashley Dell'Aira (Shoreham, NY/Shoreham-Wading River) in the long jump.

The Lyon teams return to action next Saturday for the NEWMAC Championship at Mount Holyoke College at 11:00 a.m. The defending-champion women are seeking their 10th NEWMAC crown.