SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (April 2) – The Saint Vincent men's track and field team turned in strong showings at the Dave Labor Invitational, hosted by Slippery Rock University.

The meet is one of the largest in the region, as it boasted 987 competitors from all three NCAA classifications.

Joey Bujdos turned in the Bearcats' top individual performance, as he placed first in a field of 47 runners in the 800-meter run in a time of 1:55.35, less than three-tenths of a second off of his previous personal best. Bujdos did achieve a new personal record in the 1,500-meter run, taking 11th overall in a deep field of 72 runners in a time of 4:02.05, the second-fastest in the event by a Presidents' Athletic Conference runner this season, and seventh-best in the NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region.

Bujdos was one of three Bearcats to finish in the top half of the 1,500-meter field, as Tim Patterson took 16th in a personal-best 4:03.74 and Tyler Laughery 32nd in 4:12.66, also a new PR.
In the 800, the Bearcat men saw four runners place in the top half, as Bujdos was joined by Collin Wilson, who took 16th in a personal-best 2:02.36, Aiden Jackson, who placed 17th in 2:02.45 and John Hurley, who placed 22nd in 2:04.06.

Patterson turned in a strong 18th-place finish in a field of 46 runners in the 5,000-meter run, posting a time of 16:06.64, just ahead of teammate Jeremy Capella, who turned in a time of 16:08.22 to take 19^th. Joey Jafarace ran 16:24.37 to place 24th.

Rounding out the SVC distance contingent, John Syms, competing in his first collegiate 3,000-meter steeplechase, turned in a solid time of 10:59.60 to take 15th.  

Laughery, Jared Holmes, Wilson and Bujdos teamed up to turn in the SVC's top sprint performance of the day, as they placed sixth in a field of 16 in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:34.53.

Auggie Frohnen led the Bearcat throwers, as he placed 22nd in a strong field of 59 in the shot put with a heave of 12.59 meters (41 feet, 3 inches), while a pair of teammates achieved new personal bests in the event, as Samuel Tokarsky threw 9.64 meters (31 feet, 8 inches)  and Desonio Powell 9.47 meters (31 feet, 1 inch).

Evan Ray set a new personal mark in the long jump with a leap of 6.10 meters (20 feet, 1 inch).

The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, April 9, at the Westminster College Invitational.