Men’s DMR Shatters Collegiate Record and More at Arkansas Qualifier

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. —  The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field program recorded another impressive weekend at the Arkansas Qualifier in Fayetteville, Ark. and the Virginia Tech Challenge in Blacksburg, Va. on Friday (Feb.21) as the men’s distance medley relay team shattered multiple records at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas.

Arkansas Qualifier

• The team of Wes Porter, Conor Murphy, Alex Sherman and Gary Martin combined efforts to run a record setting distance medley relay (DMR) race finishing in a time of 9:14.19 for the fastest DMR in the world on a 200-meter track.
• The quartet shattered the NCAA Record which previously stood at 9:16.40 by Oklahoma State at this meet two years ago.
• Virginia’s time of 9:14.19 is the second fastest DMR ever run, second to Washington’s all-conditions 9:14.10 from one week ago on an oversized track.
• The Cavaliers also took down the Randal Tyson facility record, and Arkansas Qualifier meet record. Both records previously held by Oklahoma State at 9:16.40 from 2023.
• The race splits include Wes Porter going 2:50.51 for the opening 1200-meter leg, Alex Sherman sprinting 46.27 on the 400-meter leg, Conor Murphy clocking 1:47.33 for 800-meters and Gary Martin anchoring for the win in 3:50.09 for 1600-meters.
• The record setting evening did not stop there as the Hoos also broke the Virginia program record which previously stood at 9:18.95 from this meet one year ago. Martin, Murphy and Sherman were members of the previous record relay team along with Alex Leath.
• The Cavaliers dethroned the Tar Heels as the ACC DMR record holders besting North Carolina’s record of 9:17.92 from a season ago.
• Alex Leath and James Ford recorded top 20 finishes in the men’s 800-meters as Leath ran a season-best 1:49.37 for 12^th place while Ford crossed the line in 1:51.70 to finish 20^th.

Virginia Tech Challenge

• Virginia went three-for-three in the prelims of the men’s and women’s 60-meter hurdles as Peter Djan (8.12), Jeremiah Wilson (8.06, SB) and Maya Rollins (8.54) earned automatic qualifying positions to the final.
• In the 60-meter hurdles final, Maya Rollins finished runner up with her time of 8.49.
• Peter Djan ran a season-best 7.95 to win the men’s 60m hurdles final followed by Jeremiah Wilson in third with his time of 8.07.
• In the women’s 60-meter dash prelim, Sarah Akpan ran her way to top qualifying time of 7.45.
• In the women’s 60-meter dash final, Akpan came away with the win and a new personal best time of 7.39. She moves up to tie Sonja Fridy’16 for No.5 in Virginia history.
• The trio of Cavaliers in Evans White IV (48.14, 3^rd), Gage Gose (48.88, 5^th) and Max Ruso (48.95, 6^th) recorded top 10 finishes in the men’s 400-meters.
• Both Brooke’Lyn Drakeford (56.83) and Kaela Swift (58.03) recorded new personal best times in the women’s 400-meter dash to finish fourth and nineth respectively.

From Director of Cross Country & Track & Field Vin Lananna:
“That was a gigantic win against an awesome field in the men’s DMR. I am very proud of these men!”

Up Next
The Cavaliers continue competition on the second day of the Virginia Tech Challenge in Blacksburg, Va. on Saturday (Feb.22).

Full Men’s DMR Race: