The Emory University women’s track and field team claimed a first-place finish at the Emory Classic this weekend, while the men’s squad recorded a second-place finish at the meet.

Competing in its second of three home meets this season, both Emory squads turned in strong performances.  The Emory women scored 198 points, besting second place Hope (160.5 points) and third place Taylor (119.5 points).  On the men’s side of the meet, the Eagles scored 136 points, finishing only behind Hope (146 points) and ahead of third-place Taylor (70 points).

Leading the way for the Eagles was sophomore Tony Lombardo, who set the Emory men’s pole vault record by clearing a height of 4.60 meters, finishing first overall in the event.  He bested the previous record of 4.57 meters, set by Mark Kleinkopf during the 1985 season.  Lombardo now owns both the indoor and outdoor pole vault records for Emory.

Junior Ian Francis added a pair of first-place finishes for the Eagles, winning both the long jump (6.57 meters) and the triple jump (13.86 meters).  Junior Ben Euwer also had a first-place finish in the hammer throw with a toss of 47.20 meters.

Placing second for the men during the meet were Mike Moserowitz in the long jump (6.44 meters), Everett Bryant in the 110-meter hurdles (15.67 seconds), Euwer in the shot put (13.56 meters) and the Eagles’ 4x400-meter relay team of Isaac Chambers, Jason Campbell, Francis and Moserowitz (3:23.41).

For the Emory women, Theresa Ford was first in the high jump, clearing a height of 1.63 meters, just shy of the NCAA provisional qualifying mark.  Other first-place finishes came from Natalie Fenn in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:20.78), Tess Gallegos in the 3,000-meter run (10:30.15), Lauren Attiah in the triple jump (10.43 meters) and Emily Caesar in the 800-meter run (2:19.36).

Adding second-place finishes were Jasmine McCullough in the 100-meter hurdles (15.72 seconds), Kaele Leonard in the 400-meter dash (1:00.10), Melanie Frank in the 800-meter run (2:19.69), Laura Lambie-Hanson in the 400-meter hurdles (1:06.58), and the Eagles’ 4x400-meter relay team of Alycia Adams, Leonard, Alisha Reynolds and Lambie-Hanson (4:05.13).

Emory will return to action next weekend at the Gem of the Hills Invitational, hosted by Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL.