May 6, 2005

Complete Results

EASTON, Pa. - Matt Schmitt, Craig Buerstatte and Ryan Keaton all won individual titles on Friday to thrust Army's men's track and field team into first place after the first day of competition at the 2005 Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Championships being held on the campus of Lafayette College.

Through six scored events, the 13-time defending champion Black Knights have accumulated 64 points and lead second-place Navy (44 points) by 20 markers. American (24 points) is a distant third.

Schmitt won his third straight conference crown in the hammer throw with a mark of 191 feet, 4 inches. The senior becomes the first Army athlete to win three straight Patriot League hammer titles since Gerald Ingalls accomplished the feat from 1994-1996.

Buerstatte flexed his muscle in the discus, where the senior recorded a mark of 157-7. Army throwers have now won four of the last five conference titles in the discus. Manny Eleyae began the run by winning the championship in 2001, while Travis Pendleton captured the crown in 2002 and 2003.

In the pole vault, Army's trio of Ryan Keaton, Gavin McMahon and Gavin Mohrmann swept the top three spots. Keaton and McMahon both cleared 16-2 3/4, but Keaton was awarded his third straight Patriot League title. The junior is the second Black Knight to ever win three conference championships in the pole vault, but the first to do so in successive years. Darrin Hinman won crowns in 1994, 1996 and 1997. Keaton will have a chance to win a fourth title next season. Mohrmann rounded out Army's sweep of the top three positions by taking third (15-3).

Rudy Mejia and Brandon Lewis placed second and fourth, respectively, in the long jump. Mejia leapt a season-best distance of 22-5 1/4, and just missed winning the event by less than two inches. Lewis, meanwhile, turned in a mark of 21-3 1/2.

Ryan Collins led the way for Army in the trials of the sprinting events. The junior from Palmer, Alaska, was the top qualifier in the 100-meter dash (11.17), and was the second-fastest runner in the 200 meters (22.35).

Daniel Braud, Daniel Fritz and Adrian Perkins moved into Saturday's finals in sprints as well. Braud blazed his way to the fastest qualifying time in the 200-meter dash (22.06), while Fritz made the cut in the 110-meter hurdles (15.84).

Perkins made it three Army sprinters in the final of the 200 meters with his qualifying clocking of 22.75.

The 2005 Patriot League Outdoor Championships will conclude tomorrow (May 7) beginning at 9 a.m.