WINCHESTER, Va. - The Dickinson men's indoor track and field team began their season with a solid third-place finish at the Holiday Kickoff Open hosted by Shenandoah University at the James Wilkins Jr. Athletics & Events Center on Sunday afternoon.

Sprints
Franklyn Akabi-During opened his year up with a second-place result in the 60m crossing the line in 6.92. Jason Hollinger earned 25th (7.33), followed by William O'Connor two spots back in 27th (7.37) and Matthew Greenley claiming 47th (7.72). When hurdles were added to that distance Joshua Penny grabbed ninth with a time of 12.29.

Akabi-During continued an outstanding meet by winning the 200m by clocking in at 22.29. The duo of Hollinger and O'Connor stayed inside the Top-20 taking 16th (23.93) and 19th (24.05). Ian Gormley (23rd - 24.20), Sean Harris (37th - 25.48), Ben Dench (43rd - 26.41) and Tim Gross (44th - 26.74) also took part in the event.

Gormley seized eighth in the 400m with a time of 53.48. Harris, Dench and Gross were involved as well posting times of 57.28, 57.38 and 59.78.

Distance
Dickinson had two athletes score during the 800m with Trevor Richwine winning the event thanks to a 1:59.00, while Alex Hansen nabbed sixth (2:07.66). Travis Knaggs just missed the Top-11 earning 11th by hitting the line in 2:13.03. Tyler Erdmann and Max Collins claimed 15th (2:17.00) and 16th (2:17.46).

Andrew Edwards was the only Devil involved in the 3000m clocking in at 9:46.98 for eighth.

A trio of DC runners went to the track for the 5000m and earned Top-10 results as Alexander Kane paced the group with a third-place time of 15:15.46, followed by Mason Macek (9th - 15:55.50) and Matthew Dietrick (10th - 15:56.67). William Kane (11th - 15:58.13), Edward Liszka (14th - 16:13.32) and Atticus Fair (16th - 16:45.

Two members of the Red and White placed within the Top-10 of the mile run with A. Kane nabbing sixth at 4:44.29, while Jake Cruikshank collected ninth (4:55.21). Both Matthew Colden and Joel Yetzbacher competed in the event as well earning 12th (4:59.05) and 16th (5:14.89).

Relays
Dickinson put forth four teams for the 4x400m relay with the unit of Akabi-During, Harris, Richwine and Gormley pacing the group with a second-place finish thanks to a 3:28.31. The next team of Hansen, Liszka, Fair and Kane claimed 14th (3:57.79), followed two slots later by Dench, Knaggs, Macek and Cruikshank (3:59.34) and Colden, Erdmann, Gross and Penny landing in 17th (4:02.89).

Field
Oliver Stroka made his first collegiate meet memorable by winning the weight throw with a toss of 15.36m. 

In the jump pit, Evan Feldman finished ninth during the triple jump landing at 11.46m. Penny did battle in the high jump placing sixth (1.50m).

Team Scores
Roanoke College earned the team title crown with 93 points barely holding off McDaniel College on 92. The Red Devils and Washington & Lee tied for third at 66, followed by Stevenson (53), Randolph (52), Columbia (S.C.) (49), Eastern Mennonite (43), Shenandoah (21) and Lynchburg (16).

Next on the Track
Dickinson returns to action next Friday and Saturday at the Susquehanna University Early Season Invite in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. The action begins Friday at 4pm, before resuming on Saturday morning at 10am.