COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. (1/23/09) - The Kean University track and field team returned to action for the first time in 2009, competing at the Collegeville Indoor Classic at Ursinus College on Friday afternoon. In the 19-team meet, the Cougar men finished seventh with 42 points, while the women scored 23 points to place ninth. In just his second collegiate meet, freshman Aaron Lucas (Union, N.J.) etched his name in the Kean record books with a new school record in the high jump and tying the program mark in the long jump. Lucas captured the long jump title, tying the school record of 6.73 meters (22-1) held by senior Jason Staggers (Jackson, N.J.), while also finishing second in the high jump with a school-record leap of 1.97 meters (6-5.5).

Staggers, who set the long jump record last season, placed tied for eighth in both the triple jump and high jump. He had a leap of 13.02 meters (42-8.75) in the triple jump and cleared 1.82 meters (5-11.5) in the high jump.

Sophomore John Badala (Scotch Plains, N.J.) placed second in the shot put (14.28 meters/46-10.25),to set a new program mark and just miss qualifying for the ECAC Division III Championships. Senior Brian Vanderstad (Pompton Lakes, N.J.) placed eighth in the event with a throw of 13.29 meters (43-7.25).

On the track , senior Seun Oyelaja (Lagos, Nigeria) was seventh in the 55-meter dash, crossing the finish line in 6.76 seconds.

In the relays, the men's 800-meter relay team finished fourth in 1:34.28, was fifth in the 1600-meter relay (3:33.32) and was seventh in the distance medley relay (12:35.56).

Freshman Jamie Sacco (Park Ridge, N.J.) had a solid afternoon, finishing fifth in the high jump (1.47 metesr/4-9.75) and sixth in the shot put (10.52 meters/34-6.25). Fellow classmate Maria Moya (Matawan, N.J.) added a fourth place finish in the pole vault with a leap of 2.75 meters (9-0.25).

The women placed fourth in the 1600-meter relay (4:26.12) and 800-meter relay (1:54.33).