SPORTS
Wildcats’ Alvarez Earns All-Conference Honors for Men’s Track and Field
Photo credit: screen capture from Davidsonwildcats.com
AMHERST, Mass. –Davidson sophomore Daniel Alvarez grinded out a podium finish in the 800-meter run as men’s track and field wrapped up the 2019 Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championship Sunday at the UMass Track & Field Complex.
Alvarez battled La Salle’s Anthony Lawrence all the way to the line, stopping the clock in 1:51.86 to place second and earn his first All-Conference team honors. Alvarez joined James Davis on the podium as the junior pole vaulter placed third late Saturday afternoon after clearing 4.55-meters, tying his own school record.
Davidson registered 24 points to place 10th overall. George Mason claimed the men’s title, registering 174.5 points, while VCU (141) and Rhode Island (128) rounded out the top three squads.
“We are a very young team and in a lot of ways that showed,” said head coach Renny Waldron. “Some excellent breakthrough performances were had by Daniel and James; overall we had a decent weekend and the guys gained some valuable experience. Some of our guys who found themselves just outside of the scoring are going to be very hungry for next year.”
Out of the 20 competitors that made the championship roster, only four were upperclassmen, including three seniors.
Freshman Cory Gaither took sixth in both hurdle finals, first stopping the clock in 14.78 seconds in the 110-meter, then 54.16 in the 400-meter hurdles.
Photo credit: screen capture from A-10 Facebook page
Senior Jacob Hostetler took eighth in the 400-meter run with a time of 48.92 seconds.
Both of Davidson’s meet-ending relays placed.
The 4×800-meter relay team of Alvarez, Max Higgins, Bryce Kalsu and Raphael Oettl took eighth with a time of 7:47.03. The 4×400 squad of Sean Caveney, Cory Gaither, Miles Hollimon and Nick Peeples was seventh.
Freshman Max Pearson won his heat of the 1500-meter run, racing away to a time of 3:57.14, but was one spot off scoring.
“We are going to miss all of our seniors,” said Waldron. “It’s going to be hard to be at this meet next year without Sean and Jacob, two school record holders, great captains and perennial point scorers for us. Those guys have helped our program grow in so many ways and their leadership has been felt on and off the track.”
Davidson next will send a select group of competitors to the VCU Ram Invitational Sunday, May 12.
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