Nastasiak wins steeplechase, Fugett breaks shot put record at Maryland Invitational

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Salisbury University sent an abbreviated group of men's and women's track and field athletes to College Park, Md., to participate at the Maryland Invitational on a wet and rainy Saturday. The Sea Gulls competed against Division I programs such as American University, Bucknell University, University of Pennsylvania, UMBC and the host Terrapins from the University of Maryland to name a few. SU also went up against in-state Division III foe Johns Hopkins University at the Kehoe Track Complex.

The SU men's team finished fifth overall out of 14 teams as the Sea Gulls won two events and collected 36 points.

Junior Bill Nastasiak started things off with a first-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as he finished with a time of 9:48.40. Senior Zack Dickerson finished fifth in the 800-meter run as he crossed the finish line just over two minutes (2:04.08).

The Sea Gull men had a strong showing in the field events led by juniors Brandon Fugett and Christian Adami. Fugett won the discus as his toss of 47.48 meters (155 feet, nine inches) provisionally qualifies him for the NCAA outdoor championships. For the second week in a row Fugett broke his own school record in the shot put. The All-American finished second in the event on Saturday as his toss went 15.8 meters (51 feet, 10 inches). Adami had a good showing in the javelin as he placed second with a toss of 54.26 meters (178 feet).

On the women's side, the small Sea Gull squad finished 12th overall. Sophomore Megan Blue set a personal record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 13:17.00 to finish sixth in the event. Freshman Becca Stinner placed sixth in the 800-meter run as she crossed the line at 2:29.83.

Salisbury will next hit the road on Saturday, April 4, and head to Philadelphia to partake in the Penn Invite.