Martin Shatters Records at Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener

BOSTON, Mass. – The Virginia men’s and women’s distance squad toed the line against some of the best athletes in the country at the collegiate and professional level as Gary Martin shattered records at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston, Mass. on Saturday (Dec. 6).

From dominating the cross country course, Gary Martin has taken his prowess to the track as the senior shattered his own school record in the men’s 5000-meter invitational section. Martin toed the line in a stacked field, including top finishers from the NCAA Cross Country Championships just two weeks prior. Taking down his previous program record of 13:30.69 from the ACC Indoor Championships earlier this year, Martin crossed the line in a 25 second indoor personal best of 13:05.57 to finish third overall. With his time, the senior broke the ACC record in the event which previously stood at 13:09.30 by Adriaan Wildschutt of Florida State in 2022. His time also ranks No.6 all-time in NCAA history.

The Warminster, Pa. native owns the Virginia record in the indoor mile (3:48.82), 3000-meters (7:36.09) and 5000-meters (13:05.57). He also ranks No.5 all-time in NCAA history in the 3000-meters with his time of 7:36.09 from this met a year ago. Martin returns to the track after an impressive cross country season where he earned All-ACC, All-Southeast Region and All-America honors.

In the men’s 5000-meter race, Nate Mountain ran his way to an indoor personal best clocking 13:44.75. Mountain finished 20th in the first heat of competition and 34th overall among 223 participants. This marks his first time competitng the event indoors for the Cavaliers. His outdoor personal best stands at 13:32.65 set at the Raleigh Relays in March of 2024.

Also opening her season in Boston was Tatum David. Her first time running the event indoors, David clocked a new personal best of 9:16.09 in the women’s 3000-meter invitational to finish 19th overall. Her time ranks No.4 all-time in program history in the event. She sits just behind former teammates in Margot Appleton (8:46.23), Jenny Schilling (9.07.13) and Sophie Atkinson (9:14.22). Appleton set the Virginia record in the event at this meet just a year ago.

Up Next
The Cavaliers will be back in action in January when the team makes the trip up the road to Blacksburg, Va. for the Virginia Tech Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 16-17.