RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Union University men's track & field team opened the indoor season with a strong showing at the VCU Invitational, using the meet as an opportunity to shake off the rust following winter break.

"The VCU Invitational was a great opportunity for us to knock the rust off and get some quality work in during our first meet since returning from winter break," said VUU Head Track & Field Coach Franck Charles. "Our main focus was getting athletes back into competitive shape, and despite some inconsistent performances—which is expected this early—we still showed up and competed well."

One of the standout performances of the meet came from Antonio Smith in the 60-meter hurdles. Smith topped a field of 26 competitors, winning the event while breaking his own school record. His time currently ranks No. 2 nationally in Division II indoor track & field, marking an outstanding early-season performance.

• Darryl Hawkins also delivered a strong performance, winning the 800 meters out of 14 competitors with impressive strength and race execution. Hawkins was also a key member of the 4x800 relay team, which placed second overall, and he competed in the mile as well.
• Darryl Wilson Jr. advanced to the final of the 60-meter dash, running a personal-best time of 6.85 seconds.
• Authurs Barrian also reached the final in the 60-meter hurdles, recording a personal-best time of 8.34 seconds.

Relay Performances

• 4x800 Relay – 2nd place, 8:22.75
  Cahlique Young, Darryl Hawkins, Keon Koonce, Jonathan Holton
• 4x400 Relay – 3rd place, season-best 3:20.00
  Rashad Smith, Mychael Tucker, Tremayne Cowart, Chase Burke

Field Event Highlights

• Gregory Taylor – Advanced to the final in the long jump with a personal-best mark of 6.80 meters
• Tim Butler – 4th place in the shot put with a throw of 16.09 meters
• Zachary Jones – 3rd place in the shot put
• Jayvien Pinnock – Advanced to the final in the triple jump

Overall, the VUU Panthers used the VCU Invitational as a solid starting point as they continue to build fitness and sharpen execution heading into the remainder of the indoor season. While there is still work to be done, the program is trending in the right direction.