JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Navy track and field team broke a pair of school records on the first day of competition at the NCAA East Preliminaries at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.
 
The first day of competition was highlighted by Emma Foster (Poteet, Texas) and Clayton Thompson (Corpus Christi, Texas) who broke school records in the javelin and the 400m hurdles, respectively. In the women's javelin, Foster set the Navy-school record with a distance of 49.48m (162-04) to finish 14th overall. She missed out on advancing to Nationals by 0.02m. Thompson posted the Navy school record in the 400m hurdles with a time of 50.95 to finish ninth overall. The time qualified the sophomore for the quarterfinals on Friday evening at 7:15 p.m.
 
"We are competing well," Director of Navy Track and Field Jamie Cook said after day one of competition." "It just didn't bounce our way in a couple of events, but it is hard to complain when you are setting PRs and breaking school records. We are trying to set training partners. Emma (Foster) and Jadyn (Tiracave); Clayton (Thompson) and Cameron (Hurd); Eric (Hughey) and John (Finnegan); they are trading school records and raising the level of competition here at Navy and that is what we want. We have a lot going on the next couple of days and we are looking forward to competing hard and putting up good times and marks."
 
Day one started with the men's hammer throw. Senior captain Sean Brennan (Westfield, N.J.) recorded a throw of 61.49m (201-09) to finish in the top 25. Brennan opened the day with a throw of 60.08m (197-01), but improved to 61.49m (201-09) with his second toss to finish 21st in the event.
 
In the women's javelin, Foster and Jadyn Tiracave (Ashville, Pa.) posted solid performances on the day. Foster topped her first throw of the day (43.88m / 143-11) by 5.6m to set the school record and finish in the top 15. Tiracave posted her best throw of the afternoon on her first attempt. The freshman notched a distance of 47.53m (155-11) to finish 21st overall. Tiracave's distance ranks sixth all-time in Navy history.
 
In the 400m hurdles, Thompson was joined by Cameron Hurd (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) who posted a time of 51.87, to finish 30th with the eighth fastest time in program history. The time was Hurd's second fastest of the year behind his first-place finish in the Patriot League Championship with a then school-record time of 51.32.
 
Pineda tied for 11th in the pole vault with a height of 5.21m (17-01.00), however, he was officially 13th in the standings, barely missing out on the NCAA Championships. The height was the fourth best in Navy history and an outdoor PR for the senior. The height was his best of the season by 0.05m, topping his previous high of 5.16m at the IC4A Championships.
 
In the final event of the day for the Mids, John Finnegan (Spring, Texas) posted a time of 1:50.90 in the 800m run to finish the event in 33rd. For Finnegan, it was his fourth fastest time of the season.
 
The Navy track and field team continues the NCAA East Preliminaries on Friday, May 24. Six different Midshipmen will compete in six total events beginning with the men's javelin at noon and concluding with the 3,000m steeplechase at 9:00 p.m.
 
 
Schedule of Events for Midshipmen
Friday, May 24
12:00 p.m. – Men's Javelin (Hayden Fox, Skyler Mason)
4:00 p.m. – Men's Discus (Sean Brennan)
5:00 p.m. – Men's 110m Hurdles First Round (Clayton Thompson)
7:15 p.m. – Men's 400m Hurdles Quarterfinals (Clayton Thompson)
9:00 p.m. – 3,000m Steeplechase (Kevin Murray)
 
Saturday, May 25
2:45 p.m. – Men's Shot Put (Sean Brennan)
6:30 p.m. – Men's Triple Jump (Cedric Williams)
7:20 p.m. – Men's 110m Hurdles Quarterfinals (Clayton Thompson)
9:45 p.m. – Men's 4x400m Relay (John Finnegan, Eric Hughey, Cameron Hurd, Simon Petsch)