Three Qualify for ECACs in Opening Meet

GENEVA, Ohio – The Penn State Behrend men's track and field team competed at the Spire North Coast Open on Saturday. 

Dylan Bilka (Seven Fields, PA/Seneca Valley), John Cerminara (Williamsburg, VA/Jamestown), and Kevin Gardner (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) each qualified for ECAC's in Behrend's first meet of the season.

Bilka won the pole vault at 4.75m with one of the top jumps in Division III in the early season.  Cerminara got his senior season off to a good start with a third place finish in the shot put at 14.52m. Gardner, competing for the first time at the collegiate level, took second in the high jump at 1.93m. 

Staying in the field, Garrett Shaw (Saxonburg, PA/Knoch) and Anthony Paterno (Butler, PA/Butler) each had solid days in the pole vault.  Shaw placed eighth at 3.80m with Paterno close behind in ninth at 3.65m.

In the triple jump, two Behrend athletes placed in the top-five.  Milt Sibanda (Jefferson, PA/Jefferson-Morgan) took third with a distance of 12.73m.  Dylan Beck (Saxonburg, PA/Knoch) placed fifth at 12.08m.

Kevin Lesniak (Butler, PA/Knoch) competed in the shot put with Cerminara.  Lesniak took ninth place at 11.79m.  Cerminara also participated in the weight throw, taking seventh place with a distance of 12.72m.

Rounding out the top field performers was Geoffrey Faltot (Mercer, PA/Mercer).  Faltot took fifth in the long jump after leaping 6.43m.

On the track, Matt McWilliams (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) set a school record in his first collegiate outing.  McWilliams took fifth place in the mile with a time of 4:27.03. The freshman also took third in the 800m at 1:59.97.  Devin Beggs (Franklin, PA/Franklin) competed in the 800m as well, coming in ninth place with a time of 2:02.29.

Behrend will be back in action on Saturday at the Spire Midwest Open in Geneva, Ohio.