DMR second at Penn Relays

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Arkansas Razorback men’s track and field team picked up a runner-up finish in the distance medley relay and advanced it’s 4×100-meter relay to the consolation final on day two of the Penn Relays on Friday.

Senior Andy McClary (2:56.1), sophomore Chris Bilbrew (46.7), senior Alex McClary (1:48.9) and junior Dorian Ulrey (4:01.1) combined for a time of 9:32.79 in the distance medley relay. Andy McClary led off on the 1,200-meter leg and kept the lead for his three laps. Bilbrew clocked a 46-second 400 meters and handed off with a pack of runners to the 800-meter legs. Alex McClary kept pace with the front of the pack and handed to Ulrey just a second ahead of challenging Villanova. Ulrey lead for 1,400 meters until Villanova’s anchor, Matthew Gibney, passed him and Ulrey was unable to catch up.

Arkansas’ 4×100-meter relay qualified for Saturday’s collegiate final. The quartet of senior Cedric Zellner, junior Alain Bailey, senior Mychael Stewart and senior J-Mee Samuels clocked a time of 40.65 and finished 13th overall in the prelims. The final will be run at 1:20 p.m. Saturday.

The sprint medley relay was the final event of the day for Arkansas and the Razorbacks finished seventh in the championship event. Stewart, in his third event of the day, Samuels, freshman Marek Niit (47.4) and Bilbrew (1:52.2) combined for a time of 3:21.85.

In the championship flight of the long jump, freshman Tarik Batchelor finished third with a jump of 25-4.75 and Bailey was 10th with a mark of 24-1. In the collegiate flight, Stewart finished third, marking a jump of 24-3.75, and senior Daniel Quinn was seventh (23-4.75).

Freshman Justin Holmes made big strides in the discus throw. In just his third collegiate competition, Holmes marked a toss of 159-10 to finished 10th. His throw is a personal best by nearly 40 feet, replacing his previous best of 120-9, and was just off Arkansas’ all-time top 10.

Freshmen Travis Nollsch, Ben Skidmore, Jake Stephens and Andrew Pennington combined for a time of 3:15.72 in the collegiate heats of the 4×400-meter relay.

Competition at the Penn Relays will continue Saturday, April 25. Arkansas’ first event Saturday will be the 4xMile championship at 1 p.m. EST. ESPN2 will air Saturday’s events live, 4-6 p.m. EST. For more information, visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com or thepennrelays.com.