Charlottesville - Lynchburg, VA - On the final weekend before postseason competition begins, the Southern Virginia University men's and women's track and field teams sent athletes to two different meets, the Virginia Challenge, hosted by the University of Virginia, and the Wildcat Invitational, hosted by Randolph College.

Virginia Challenge

Littered with many of the best Division l athletes in the country, the Virginia Challenge served as an opportunity to post potential national qualifying marks. Heidi Barton, Joseph Hughes, and Dylan May made the short trip to Charlottesville on Friday afternoon to compete in two events.

Barton was entered in the women's 1,500m. While she didn't record a personal best, her quick time of 4:46.16 set the stage for what was to come on Saturday in another event. Hughes competed in the men's 1,500m, finishing well in a time of 4:02.53.

In the late evening hours, Dylan May toed the line for the 10,000m, his maiden attempt at the distance this season. May scrapped and clawed for every second, staying consistent at an impressive pace despite finding himself alone for the final laps. In the end, May crossed the line in a blistering time of 30:52.71, demolishing his previous personal best, and setting a new program record.

Wildcat Invitational

The majority of both squads spent their weekend competing at the Wildcat Invitational in Lynchburg. It became another day filled with top finishes and program records, particularly on the women's side.

Per usual, the javelin throw and high jump served as marquee events for the Knights during the field portion of the meet. Jilane Pedersen launched her second attempt in the women's javelin final for 35.68 meters (117' 1"). Pedersen's mark claimed first place in the event and is a season best for the current program record holder.

Staying with the field events, freshman high jumper Marin Simons improved on her already top 10 national ranking, clearing the bar at 1.68m (5' 6") on her first attempt to secure first place. In addition to another personal best and program record, Simons' clearance puts her fifth in the nation amongst Division lll athletes, placing her in excellent position to qualify for the NCAA Championships held at the end of May.

The Knights' speedsters on the track also took center stage. Jalen Williams put together his best performance in the 100m this season, clocking in at 11.27 for a third place finish. In the 800m, Kedryn Chandler blew past the two-minute barrier for the first time in his career, crossing the line in 1:57.57 to establish a new personal best.

Doubling back from the 1,500m one day earlier, Heidi Barton returned to the track for her 800m heat on Saturday. Barton has already put up historic times this season, but her finishing time of 2:12.94 obliterated the next closest finishers time by over six seconds. It was also a personal best by three seconds and is the third best time in the South Region. In the 200m, Folole Torres was all business as she dashed to a personal best of 26.03, good enough for fourth overall.

Up Next

The Knights now have their sights set on the USA South Outdoor Championships. The meet will take place from Friday, April 25th, through Saturday, April 26th. The Southern Virginia men's and women's teams are both undefeated at the meet since joining the conference for the 2022 season. They'll be in search of championship number four at the Jay M. Robinson Track and Field Facility in Concord, North Carolina.

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightxctf on Instagram.