BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas. - The Texas A&M-Kingsville track and field program re-started the indoor season on Friday, with the Javelinas taking on the Ted Nelson Invitational at the Gilliam Indoor Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M.
 
"I thought the meet went well," said coach Ryan Dall. "We had a few athletes out this week but the ones who traveled competed well. It was a good meet to knock off some rust from the break".
 
On the track, several Blue and Gold student-athletes performed well, including freshman Cynai Christopher (Missouri City, Texas), who excelled in her collegiate debut, placing second with a 200m time of 25.37. Christopher was bested only by Dreunna Washington of McNeese State, who clocked in at 24.65.
 
Also, placing second junior Shaun Gill (Belize City, Belize) recorded a provisional qualifying time of 6.84 en route to the silver medal in the 60m. Nationally, this mark allows him to maintain the 14th position on the NCAA Division II performance list. 
 
Redshirt senior Johnathon Harper (Lorena, Texas) saw success in the 60m hurdles as he placed fourth in 8.06 for his second provo of the season. The multi-event specialist now ranks fifth nationally in the hurdles while also maintaining the second-best heptathlon score in the country at 5,451.
 
The men's 4x400m team wrapped up things on the track as the team comprised of Harper, sophomore Sterling Riles (Houston, Texas), redshirt senior Joseph Swierc (Falls City, Texas), and sophomore Gabriel Field (China Spring, Texas) placed seventh in a pool comprised of 10 DI school with their time of 3:21.62 narrowly missing out on the provisional standard.
 
Off the track, senior D.J. Delancy (Bethel Town, Jamacia) led a talented group of throwers in the shot put as the Jamaican measured at 15.80m (54-6.75), allowing him to snatch second in the event. He was joined by freshman Nathan Melton (Lorena, Texas) and sophomore Felix Hernandez (Edinburg, Texas) in the competition, with Melton claiming fifth at 14.19m (46-6.75) and Hernandez placing sixth at 13.65m (44-9.50)
 
Senior Stephen Cardenas (Ingleside, Texas) heaved the implement 15.94m (52-3.75) to take eighth in the weight throw as the highest placing DII athlete in the event.
 
Similarly, junior Kimberly Ortolon (Edna, Texas) and sophomore Bianca Cardenas placed back-to-back in the women's pole vault as the pair finished third and fourth behind athletes from McNeese State and UIW. Ortolon cleared a bar of 3.42m (11-2.50) while Cardenas managed a vault of 3.27m (10-8.75) in her old stomping grounds. 
 
Meanwhile, redshirt senior Dean Wallace (Geronimo, Texas) competed in the men's iteration of the event, where his mark of 4.52m (14-10) earned him fourth amongst a talented group of vaulters representing the Southland Conference. 
 
The Javelinas are back in action on Friday, Jan. 21, as they travel to the Yeoman Fieldhouse in Houston for the Fastrak Collegiate Challenge. 
 
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