LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Pennsylvania men's track and field program had a successful opening day at the NCAA East First Round, with four athletes advancing in their events on Wednesday night.

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Pole vaulters James Rhoads and Scott Toney punched their tickets to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships off top 12 placements to highlight Penn's first day in Lexington.
 
Track athletes Ryan Matulonis and Nayyir Newash-Campbell secured spots in Friday's final round from top 24 finishes in the 400 and 440 hurdles. Newash-Campbell claimed a personal record and fourth-best in program history in the 400.
 
Sophomore Atticus Soehren started the day for the Red and Blue in the javelin, finishing 41st with 58.49 meters.  It was his first appearance at the NCAA East Preliminaries. 
 
Shane Gardner competed in Penn's first track event of the outing, docking a 13.93 in the 110 hurdles to narrowly miss a spot in Friday's round with 25th place.
 
The field events of the First Round wrapped up with the pole vault, where Toney and Rhoads clinched their spots to the Beaver State. Senior Toney snatched sixth place with a 5.42m (17-9.25), while junior Rhoads closely followed with a 5.32m (17-5.5) to advance to the outdoor championships. Junior Sachta rounded out Penn's finishes with a 4.92 (16-1.75) to land 37th in the second appearance at the NCAA East Preliminaries of his collegiate career.
 
Freshman Newash-Campbell had a stellar outing in his NCAA East Preliminaries debut, squeezing out a 24th-place finish in the 400 with a personal best of 46.66 to grab fourth place in the program's record book and a spot in Friday's final round.
 
Junior Titus Bretzke battled hard in the first NCAA East Preliminaries of his Quaker career, placing 39th in the 800 with a final time of 1:51.36.
 
First-year standout Matulonis crushed the 400 hurdles in his NCAA East Preliminaries debut, finishing in sixth place to end the day for Penn. The freshman posted a 50.81 to join fellow freshman Newash-Campbell in Friday's round.
 
Up Next
Matulonis and Newash-Campbell look to secure their spots at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with top-12 finishes on Friday. 
 
WEDNESDAY RESULTS - TRACK
110 Hurdles
  25. Shane Gardner, 13.93 
400
  24. Nayyir Newash-Campbell, 46.66 – PB, 4th in program history
800
  39. Titus Bretzke, 1:51.36
400 Hurdles
  6. Ryan Matulonis, 50.81 
 
WEDNESDAY RESULTS - FIELD
Javelin
  41. Atticus Soehren, 58.49m
Pole Vault
  6. Scott Toney, 5.42m (17-9.25)
  8. James Rhoads, 5.32m (17-5.5)
  37. Benedikt Sachta, 4.92 (16-1.75)