WEST CHESTER, Pa.--The Hood College Track & Field Team traveled to West Chester University for a two-day meet on Friday and Saturday.

In a non-scoring meet featuring mostly NCAA Division II programs, the Blazer men were led by freshman Chris Digangi (fourth in the pole vault), Ola Komolafe (fifth in the 400), Brendan Greenlees (fifth in the 10,000), Nick Manning (sixth in the steeplechase) and Matt Haynes (sixth in the hammer).

Friday afternoon saw clearing skies and comfortable temperatures. By Saturday morning that had changed drastically. Temperatures remained in the low 40’s, the rain was steady throughout the day, and wind added to the challenges. As head coach Brent Ayer was once quoted, “Track meets are cancelled only by war, politics, or acts of God.” The Blazers forged on.

DiGangi tied his school record vault of 14’ 1.25” under Friday’s favorable conditions, and had two strong attempts at 14’ 8” before settling for fourth. “Chris has made strong progress in the last ten days. I look for him to contend for the Capital Athletic Conference title. He has strong work habits and improving technique,” said Ayer.

Also on Friday, Greenlees legged his way to a fifth place finish in the 10,000-meter run.

Saturday’s tougher conditions saw Komolafe run 51.26 for fifth in the 400, Manning duck under 11 minutes for the first time this season (10:59.60) in the 3000-meter steeplechase, and Haynes throw the hammer 131’ 8”, just outside his school record on a rain and mud-slicked throwing circle. “All three of these athletes are proven commodities who I expect to score strongly at next weeks Capital Athletic Conference Championships,” observed Ayer.

Haynes tied a personal best in the discus and Jeff Lipinski set a personal mark in the hammer.

“If you got out and competed today, you demonstrated some toughness,” concluded Ayer. “Several schools chose not to compete and several athletes dropped out of events.”

Hood will compete in the 2009 Capital Athletic Conference championships Saturday at the University of Mary Washington.