The men's and women's track and field teams opened the indoor season Saturday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the Visit Winson-Salem College Kick-off. The Bruins competed in 13 events in a field of over 30 schools including top NCAA DI programs like North Carolina A&T, Furman, App State, USC Upstate, NC State and others. 

"I felt like the team did really well at our first meet.  The experience from last season helped the meet flow well which gave the athletes a chance to relax and perform better," said Head Coach Ken Roach.

On the women's side, the Bruins raced in six events. Freshman Lasiah Jeter competed in the 60 meter and finished with a time of  8.71. Four Bruins toed the line in the 200 meter race. Kaniyah Witherspoon crossed the finish line first for the Bruins at 29.60 followed by Lasiah Jeter at 30.02, Alexa Marks with a 32.08, and Grace Bailey at 32.41.

Francesca Peters led the Bruins in the 400 with a time of 1:05.01. Melody Davis and Kathryn Amato made their Bruins debut as well in the 400 meter event. Also racing in her first track meet as a Bruin, Kristen Dodds finished 20th overall in the 600 with a time of 2:02.84.

Ainsley Zimmerman took to the track in the 800 and was the solo Bruin to represent as she ran to a finish of 2:55.63. Cora Cagne ran the one mile for the Bruins and finished with a time of 6:14.64.

On the men's side, the Bruins competed in seven different events throughout the day.

The Bruins opened the meet in the 60 meter where five Bruins took to the track. Luke Fressel narrowly missed a personal best in the event finishing 17th overall at 7.20. Leonardo Mota crossed the line at 7.46 with Misha Gray right behind with a new personal best at 7.47. Mattieu Pierre and Isaac Vera Cruz also competed in the event for the first time finishing at 7.67 and 7.82.

"Luke had a great run in the 60m and hit a great mark," commented Coach Roach.

In the 200, Luke Fressel finished first for the Bruins again with a time of 23.51. Misha Gray (24.65), Jordan Augustus (24.96), and Kyle Williams (26.23) also competed in the 200 meter event.

Up next was the 400 meter race where Isaac Vera Cruz was the lone Bruin to compete as he stopped the clock at 56.02.

Justin VanDen Berghe made his track debut in the 600 meter and ran the event with a time of 1:45.52. The one mile race had three Bruins, Sol Shafer, Levi Gerbitz, and Daniel Kyle, representing. Shafer led the Bruins with a time of 4:44.37 in his first mile event with Gerbitz and Kyle finishing behind at 5:07.45 and 5:13.55. Wrapping up the track events, Shafer was back on the track in the 3000 and crossed the line with a new personal bests at 9:00.33.

"Sol Shafer had a tremendous day on the track and proud of his approach this season," Coach Roach highlighted.

The Garian brothers, Daniel and Joshua, both competed in the shot put event. Daniel Garian put up a 9.26 meter throw and Joshua threw 7.59 meters.

Coach Roach finished by saying, "This early meet performances gives us the spots we need to focus and a standing point of processing though our goals this year."

Full results from Saturday's meet can be found here.

Up next, the track and field teams will open the new year at the Mondo College Invitational on January 13.

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