UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.--Sophomore sprinters Ville Lampinen (Vantaa, Finland) and Harry Purcell (Dublin, Ireland) were among several Villanova athletes who opened up the new calendar year on a strong note at the Nittany Lion Challenge on Saturday afternoon. The pair each competed in the 600 meters and finished in the top four in a field of 20 runners. Overall, the Wildcats had 14 athletes competing in 10 individual events and a relay during the meet at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.

Lampinen was the runner-up in the 600 meters with a time of 1:18.44, while Purcell finished fourth in 1:18.86. Both were competing for the first time this season. Sophomore Sterling Pierce (Voorhees, N.J.) advanced to the final of the 60 meters and finished seventh with a time of 7.11. Earlier in the day, he had placed sixth out of 20 competitors in the preliminaries with a mark of 7.04 in his heat.

Villanova also had athletes competing in the 200 meters and the 400 meters. Freshman Dan Powers (Chadds Ford, Pa.) was an entry in both events, recording times of 23.77 and 51.58, respectively. Senior Kyle Cartwright (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) placed eighth in the 400 meters with a time of 49.61, sophomore Charlie O'Brien (Orinda, Calif.) registered a personal best time of 50.32 and freshman Konrad Bayer (Naperville, Ill.) crossed the finish line in 51.18.

In the final event of the meet, a quartet of Cartwright, Purcell, Lampinen and Bayer competed in the 4x400 meter relay and registered a time of 3:18.09. They placed fifth in a field of 14 teams.

Sophomore middle distance runner Zach Swenson (Boulder, Colo.) came in ninth in the 1000 meters and set a new personal best with a time of 2:31.37. Redshirt freshmen Lucas Arrivo (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Louis Vazquez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) posted times of 4:17.31 and 4:25.79, respectively, in the mile.

Five athletes competed in field events, led by freshman Steve Testa (Warminster, Pa.) who was an entry in both the long jump and the triple jump. He placed eighth in the triple jump with a distance of 13.15 meters and finished 11th in the long jump with a mark of 6.14 meters.

Senior Dan Sullivan (North Hampton, N.H.) and sophomore Henry Sise (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) recorded throws of 14.62 meters and 14.11 meters, respectively, in the shot put. Junior John McDonald (New Providence, N.J.) had a mark of 14.41 meters and finished seventh in the weight throw.

The remainder of the Wildcats indoor season, with the exception of those athletes who qualify for the NCAA Championships in March, consists of meets that will be held at the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y. The first of five consecutive meets at the venue is on Friday, January 20 when Villanova competes in the Gotham Cup.

COMPLETE VILLANOVA RESULTS
Nittany Lion Challenge
No Team Scoring

60 Meters (Preliminaries)

Sterling Pierce                6th of 20                 7.04 

60 Meters (Final)

Sterling Pierce                7th of 7                  7.11

200 Meters

Dan Powers                     12th of 15                23.77     

400 Meters

Kyle Cartwright                8th of 17                 49.61Charlie O'Brien                11th                      50.32        Konrad Bayer                   14th                      51.18        Dan Powers                     15th                      51.58     

600 Meters

Ville Lampinen                 2nd of 20                 1:18.44        Harry Purcell                  4th                       1:18.86     

1000 Meters

Zach Swenson                   9th of 16                 2:31.37     

Mile

Lucas Arrivo                   17th of 27                4:17.31        Louis Vazquez                  27th                      4:25.79     

4x400 Meter Relay

Villanova                      5th of 14                 3:18.09Kyle Cartwright                1st LegHarry Purcell                  2nd LegVille Lampinen                 3rd LegKonrad Bayer                   Anchor

Long Jump

Steve Testa                    11th of 14                6.14m 

Triple Jump

Steve Testa                    8th of 8                  13.15m     

Shot Put

Dan Sullivan                   10th of 15                14.62mHenry Sise                     12th                      14.11m

Weight Throw

John McDonald                  7th of 11                 14.41m