PRINCETON, N.J. - Redshirt freshman Logan Wetzel (Saline, Mich.) recorded a personal best time in the 1500 meters to lead Villanova at the Larry Ellis Invitational on Friday evening. The two-day meet got underway at Weaver Stadium with the Wildcats competing in four races and one field event.

Wetzel, junior Ben Malone (River Vale, N.J.) and sophomore Colin O'Mara (Little Rock, Ark.) ran in the elite section of the 1500 meters as Villanova starts to prepare in earnest for the most critical part of the outdoor season. Wetzel crossed the finish line with a time of 3:45.11 and came in 10th overall in a field of 63 runners. Malone and O'Mara recorded times of 3:53.46 and 3:55.65, respectively.

Sophomore Ville Lampinen (Vantaa, Finland) and junior Ishmael Muhammad (Mays Landing, N.J.) ran in the elite section of the 800 meters. Lampinen won his heat with a season-best time of 1:49.91 and wound up 11th overall out of 59 runners. Muhammad also ran his top time of the season, finishing in 1:50.95 to come in 23rd overall.

The other races for Villanova on Friday were the 3000 meter steeplechase and the 5000 meters. Redshirt freshman Casey Comber (Maple Glen, Pa.) came in ninth in the steeplechase while racing the event for the first time this season. His time of 9:10.10 is a new personal best, eclipsing the time of 9:17.30 which he ran at this meet last year.

Redshirt freshman Andrew Marston (Wayne, Pa.) ran the 5000 meters and tallied a time of 15:05.85.

In the team's only field event of the day, sophomore Jack Judge (Palisades, N.Y.) threw for a personal best distance of 57.26 meters in the javelin. It is the second personal best of the season for Judge, who had registered a mark of 56.08 meters at the Penn Challenge last month. His effort on Friday moved him up a spot to ninth on the Wildcats all-time performance list.

A full day of action is on tap for Saturday, with field events starting at 12 p.m. with the pole vault and the first race on the track the 1500 meters at 12:35 p.m.

COMPLETE VILLANOVA RESULTS

800 Meters (Elite Section)

Ville Lampinen             11th of 59              1:49.91    Ishmael Muhammad           23rd                    1:50.95

1500 Meters (Elite Section)

Logan Wetzel               10th of 63              3:45.11    Ben Malone                 30th                    3:53.46Colin O'Mara               38th                    3:55.65

3000 Meter Steeplechase

Casey Comber               9th of 30               9:10.10

5000 Meters

Andrew Marston             48th of 58              15:05.85Martin Barr (Unattached)   53rd                    15:18.17

Javelin

Jack Judge               6th of 18               57.26m