BOSTON, MA (January 21, 2024) – The UMass Boston men's track and field program competed at the Greater Boston Track Club Invitational at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA on Sunday. The Beacons ran with their heart on their sleeve, earning top-ten finishes in four separate events.

Sophomore sprinter Melvin Whiltshire and first year Cekoi Smith held it down for the Beacons in the 200m dash, with Wiltshire putting up a respectable 24.72, followed by Smith, as he finished his rep in 25.45 seconds. Wiltshire was also he sole representative for the Beacons in the 400m dash, clocking in at 56.53 seconds.

Stretching the field further into the mid-distance events, junior Cody Whittun registered the first top-ten finish of the day for UMass Boston, coming in seventh in the 600m dash with a new personal record of 1:26.16. The Beacons' first-year Hugo Dos Santos also lined up for the 600m, registering a 1:41.27 finish, good for a new personal record.

Next up for the Beacs was Robert Cannon, who doubled in the men's 1000m run, and the one-mile run. Cannon finished 13^th out of a 20-man field with a time of 2:50.79, he then followed this with a new personal record in the one-mile with a 4:51.78 finish, good for a new personal record.

The Beacons also put together a relay team for an unconventional 4x220-yard relay consisting of Smith, first-year Prabhdeep Bassan, first-year Brady Poirier, and junior Mocktar Seck. UMass Boston registered an honorable 1:47.43 finish for one of the first relays of the season for the Beacons.

Jumping over to the runway, the Beacons saw three of their four representatives finish in the top ten for the long jump. Sophomore Isaiah Stressman led the way for the Beacons, coming in fifth overall with a jump of 5.66m (18' 7"). Stressman was followed by Bassan who took home a mark of 5.42m (17' 9.5"), good for seventh place overall. Bassan was followed up by a 5.12m (16' 9.75") mark by first-year Elmani Debarros to earn himself ninth place overall. Seck closed out the Beacons in the long jump with a 4.38m (14' 4.5") mark. Bassan and Stressman were the sole Beacons to represent UMass Boston in the triple jump, finishing back to back in fourth and fifth place. Stressman registered a mark of 11.38m (37' 4"), good for fourth place followed by Bassan, who took fifth with a 10.89m (35' 8.75") jump.

Junior Sam Grant closed out the Beacons with the men's shot put, coming in eighth place out of 16 total competitors. Grant registered an eighth-place finish with a throw of 10.29m (33' 9.25").

The Beacons are back on the track again next Friday and Saturday as they hit the Track at New Balance in Boston, MA as they compete in the Riverhawk Classic hosted by UMass Lowell on January 26, and 27. Live results and event info can be found at 2023-24 Men's Track and Field Schedule - UMass Boston (beaconsathletics.com).