WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Connor Whitesel captured the men’s hammer throw and Cristine Marquez posted the top time in the preliminaries of the women’s 400 meters to lead the University of Delaware men’s and women’s teams at the first day of the Colonial Athletic Association Championships Friday at the College of William & Mary.

The second and final day of the championships will begin Saturday morning. William & Mary took the first day team lead on both the men’s and women’s side. The Delaware women were in fourth place after Friday’s events while the UD men placed fifth.

Whitesel became the Delaware men’s first CAA champion since Chris Dixon won the 400 meter hurdles title in 2006 as he threw the hammer 167 feet to win the event and earn an automatic berth to the NCAA East Regionals May 30-31 at Florida State University.

Also for the Delaware men, Doug Alpers was third in the discus (146-0), Dave Schwartz was fourth in the hammer (155-2), Conrad Rapp was fourth in the pole vault (15-1), Jeremy Simkins was sixth n the 110 meter hurdles preliminaries (15.45) and seventh in the 400 meter hurdles preliminaries (54.37), and Dave Gyurina was seventh in the javelin with a toss of 169-2, John Hally was eighth in the 110 meter hurdles preliminaries (15.79), Seth Rohrbaugh was eighth in the discus (134-4), Jake Cohen was eighth in the pole vault (14-1 1/4), Will Jurkowski was eighth in the 800 meter preliminaries (1:55.53), Chris Bourke was eighth in the 5,000 meters (15:10.68), and Nick Pyle was eighth in the 10,000 meters (32:28.41).

Marquez was Delaware’s top performer as her time of 55.1 led all runners in the 400 meter preliminaries and qualified her for Saturday’s finals. She also qualified for Sunday’s 200 meter finals as she ran a fourth place time of 24.60 in the preliminaries.

Also for the UD women, Kayla Hennessy (at right) was second in the 400 meter hurdles preliminaries (school record 1:01.57) and sixth in the 100 meter hurdles preliminaries (14.41) to earn a spot in Sunday’s finals in both events, Amanda Marshall was second in the hammer (154-8), Kelli McDonald was third in the pole vault (11-7 3/4), Cassie White was fourth in the 10,000 meters, Laura Chirico was fifth in the pole vault (11-7 3/4), Alex Francis was sixth in the javelin (111-0), Asha Quant was seventh in the long jump (18-8 3/4), Christina Antonopoulos was eighth in the 1,500 meter preliminaries (4:45.07), and Kirsten Hunter was eighth in javelin (111-0).

AGATE:

Women’s Team Standings After Day 1: 1. William & Mary - 72; 2. James Madison - 33; 3. Northeastern - 29; 4. Delaware - 28.5; 5. UNC Wilmington - 23.5; 6. Georgia State - 20; 7. George Mason - 16; 8. Towson - 12.

Delaware Finishers: 1st - Cristine Marquez, 400m (55.51 - prelims); 2nd - Kayla Hennessy, 400m hurdles (1:01.57 - prelims/school record); Amanda Marshall, hammer (154-8); 3rd - Kelli McDonald, pole vault (11-7 3/4); 4th- Cassie White, 10,000m (37:13.33); Cristine Marquez, 200m (24.60 - prelims); 5th - Laura Chirico, pole vault (11-7 3/4); 6th - Kayla Hennessy, 100m hurdles (14.41 - prelims); Alex Francis, javelin (119-1); 7th - Asha Quant, long jump (18-8 3/4); 8th - Christina Antonopoulos, 1,500m (4:45.07- prelims); Kirsten Hunter, javelin (111-0); 9th - Julia Somers, 10,000m (37:52.59); 10th - Kellyn Wright, 800m (2:17.74 - prelims); 11th - Asha Quant, 100m (12.16 - prelims), 200m (24.83 -prelims); Yianna Antonopoulos, 5,000m (18:21.10); 12th - Karen Mandrachia, 1,500m (4:51.99 - prelims); 13th - Liz Paul, 10,000m (39:03.15); Alexi Capsouras, 400m hurdles (1:05.08 - prelims); Karen Mandrachia, 800m (2:21.07 - prelims); Kristi Cox, 400m (57.46); 15th -Leah Putman, 100m hurdles (15.31 - prelims); 18th - Isabel Graf, 5,000m (19:25.12); Alexi Capsouras, 100m hurdles (15.96 - prelims); Leah Putman, long jump (17-2); Stephanie Taylor, 800m (2:24.76 - prelims); 19th - Alex Francis, 100m (12.75 - prelims); 20th - Stephanie LaFergola, 5,000m (20:09.13); 21st - Krista Levy, 800m (2:33.18 - prelims); Sarah Vernon, 5,000m (20:25.52); 22nd - Lexi Ambrogi, 5,000m (20:38.74); 24th - Annie Fulton, long jump (15-7); Marla Woodarek, 400m hurdles (1:12.33 - prelims); 26th - Kristi Cox, 200m (26.28 -prelims); 29th - Alex Francis, 200m (26.93 - prelims).

Complete Results