Stanford Invitational Results I Raleigh Relays Results

RICHMOND, Ky. – Samuel Abascal and David Bascuñana both ran Ohio Valley Conference-best times as the Eastern Kentucky University track and field teams competed at the Stanford Invitational and Raleigh Relays over the weekend.
 
Abascal and Bascuana clocked their OVC-best times at Stanford. Abascal, a junior, recorded a big personal-best in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday, finishing sixth in the loaded invitational section with a time of 8:42.5.  That is one of the top times in the country, and it is the fastest in the conference by nearly 17 seconds. It also moves Abascal to No. 5 on EKU's star-studded all-time steeplechase list.
 
Abascal is the reigning OVC champion in the 1,500 meters and silver medalist in the steeplechase. He finished 13^th in the steeplechase at the 2018 NCAA East Region Prelims with a then-personal-best time of 8:49.1, just missing on a trip to the NCAA Championships.
 
In his outdoor debut, Bascunana, a senior, clocked a conference-best time of 29:52.05 in the men's 10,000 meters late Friday night at Cobb Track and Angell Field.   
 
Fellow senior Jaime Romo also notched a personal-best at Stanford on Friday night, running 14:00.05 in the 5,000 meters. That time is currently No. 2 in the OVC, trailing Belmont's Jacob McLeod (13:59.2) by less than a second. Romo defeated McLeod to win the 5,000 meters title at the OVC Indoor Championships in February.
 
Colonels also competed at N.C. State's Raleigh Relays over the weekend at Paul Derr Track.
 
After missing the indoor season, senior Zach Stewart made a solid debut in the men's 10,000 meters, clocking a personal-best time of 30:32.9. That time is currently No. 3 in the OVC.
 
Sophomore Zak Kirk also missed the indoor season with an injury. In his first race since September, Kirk ran 14:46.1 in the 5,000 meters, currently No. 6 in the conference.
 
Senior JP Ferraro, meanwhile, posted two top-10 OVC times at N.C. State. He ran 49.04 in the 400 meters (No. 3 in the OVC) and 57.23 in the 400-meter hurdles (No. 6 in the OVC).
 
Sophomores Ben Thoms in the 110-meter hurdles (15.50 / No. 2 in the OVC) and Brandon Brookfield in the pole vault (14-0 / No. 3 in the OVC) also delivered notable performances for the men.
 
On the women's side, four Colonels ran top-10 OVC times over the weekend.
 
Senior Gladys Cheruiyot went 17:29.1 in the 5,000 meters, currently good enough for No. 3 in the conference.
 
Senior Meggan Grams, meanwhile, ran 4:37.9 in the 1,500 meters (No. 4 in the OVC), while freshman Lou Trois clocked a 4:43.5 in the same race (No. 7 in the OVC).
 
Senior Nicole Goderwis just missed on a personal-best with time of 57.81 in the 400 meters, currently No. 6 in the conference.
 
The EKU track and field teams return to action next weekend, April 5-6, at the WKU Hilltopper Relays in Bowling Green, Kentucky.