LAMBERT RECIEVES INVITE TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Latest jump sends senior to nationals

RICHMOND, Va. – Less than a week after etching his name in the Virginia Commonwealth Universtiy men's track and field record book for the fourth time, senior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) recieved confirmation from the NCAA that he will be headed to NCAA Championships this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark.

Lambert etched his name once more in the Rams’ record book as his leap of 25’ 3 ½” in the long jump set a new school record, as well as won the event. The senior was not done as he captured his second victory of the meet in the high jump with a mark of 6’11”.

Not only was the long jump mark a school record, it also places Lambert into the NCAA field in the upcoming NCAA Championships next weekend in Fayetteville, Ark. Lambert’s mark of 25’ 3 ½” currently sits as the 12 th-best mark in the nation this season.

Lambert and the Rams' coaching staff will head out to Arkansas on Thursday afternoon before the meet starts on Friday.

LAMBERT LEADS RECORD-BREAKING WEEKEND FOR RAMS
Senior breaks long jump record, looks forward to NCAAs
Results

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Senior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) appears to be saving his best effort for his last season as the veteran leader of the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s track and field team captured two wins, as well as setting a school record to lead a strong showing by the Rams at the Virginia Tech Last Chance meet this past weekend.

Lambert etched his name once more in the Rams’ record book as his leap of 25’ 3 ½” in the long jump set a new school record, as well as won the event. The senior was not done as he captured his second victory of the meet in the high jump with a mark of 6’11”.

Not only was the long jump mark a school record, it also places Lambert into the NCAA field in the upcoming NCAA Championships next weekend in Fayetteville, Ark. Lambert’s mark of 25’ 3 ½” currently sits as the 12 th-best mark in the nation this season.

Senior James Frierson (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) joined Lambert in record-breaking performances as the veteran wrote his name in the record books for the second consecutive week with a time of 47.89 in the 400-meter dash, tops in program history.

"Our guys really had a strong showing overall this weekend," Rams' assistant coach Ron Jones said. "Davion's performance was the highlight, but every guy that competed really had strong showings."

The freshman class got in on the record-breaking act as freshman Michael Garel set a school record in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.60 in the preliminaries of the event. Garel finished fifth in the finals, just behind teammate Brandon Agro (Richmond, Va./Henrico), who tied the old school record with a time of 7.65 in the finals of the 55-meter hurdles.

The duo of Jamal Blyden and DeAngelo Wilson also had strong showings as both freshmen set personal bests in the 200-meter dash. Blyden clocked in at 22.59, while Wilson stopped the clock in 22.65.

The freshman class was not done as Guy Alton also set a personal best in the one-mile run with a time of 4:11.90.

Lambert will look forward to the NCAA Indoor Championships next week in Fayetteville, Ark., but the rest of the Rams will prepare for the outdoor season, which begins in two weeks at the Coastal Carolina Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

FRIERSON BREAKS 300M RECORD TO LEAD RAMS AT VA. TECH CHALLENGE
Senior duo of Lambert and Frierson pick up victories again for VCU
2-20-07
Results

BLACKSBURG, Va. – This is becoming a routine for seniors James Frierson (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) and Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina). Weekend after weekend they win events for the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s track and field team, and they did just that again this past weekend at the Virgina Tech Challenge.

Frierson had the top individual performance for the Rams as the veteran set a school record in the 300-meter  dash with a time of 33.87, which placed him first in the event. He was not done, however, as he went on to grab another top-five finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.53, among a talent-laden field.

Lambert seemingly wins the long jump at every meet and the VT Challenge was nothing different as the senior leaped 24’ 7” to best the competition and again grab the top spot in the event. He also had another strong showing in the triple jump, placing sixth with a distance of 49’ 1 1/2”.

Freshman Guy Alton had another strong showing in his young career as he grabbed the Rams’ final victory in the 1000-meter run. Alton stopped the clock in 2:27.47, less than five seconds off the school record.

Junior Jackie DeShazo (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) was also stellar at the meet with two top ten finishes in both the 55-meter dash and the 300-meter dash. DeShazo’s strongest performance came in the 300-meter dash as he placed third behind Frierson, giving the Black and Gold two out of the top three spots in the event. DeShazo broke the tape in 34.19, less than a half a second behind Frierson, also the second best time in school history.

Joining Alton in the distance events was senior Lukasz Matuseiwicz (Warsaw, Poland/No. 7 in Warsaw), who earned a top-three finish in the 800-meter run. Matuseiwicz stopped the clock in 1:52.93 which garnered a third place finish in the event.

The Rams are back in action next weekend when they travel to CAA-rival, George Mason, for the George Mason Invitational on Saturday, February 24.


LAMBERT, WYSS CAPTURE VICTORIES, SET SCHOOL RECORDS AT PENN STATE NATIONAL
Lambert earns fifth victory of the year, Wyss tops in 3000m
Results

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Winning has become second nature to senior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) as he captured his fifth victory of the season at the Penn State National Invitational this weekend. Lambert earned the top mark in the high jump, while junior Jay Wyss (Richmond, Va./Tucker) (pictured) captured the Rams’ other victory in the 3000-meter run. Both Wyss and Lambert etched their name in the VCU record books as well as both marks were tops in the program's history.

Lambert grabbed the victory in the high jump as he cleared 7’ 1/4” and followed that up with another top-three finish in the long jump with a leap of 24’ 5”, which earned him a third-place finish. The leap of 7' 1/4" in the high jump bested the school record held by current assistant coach and former Ram Ron Jones, whose mark of 6' 10" stood for over 12 years.

Wyss led the distance events for the Black and Gold as the junior picked up his first win of the season with top honors in the 3000-meter run. His time of 8:11.76 was nearly four seconds better than any of his competitors. Wyss joined Lambert as school record holders as his time bested former Ram Daniel Ndungu, who held the record for two years with a time of 8:13.01.

Senior Lukasz Matusiewicz (Warsaw, Poland/No. 7 in Warsaw) also had a strong showing in the distance events as he posted the fifth-highest collegiate time in the 800-meter run as he stopped the clock in 1:51.90.

The Rams take the track again next weekend as they travel to the New Balance Invitational in New York, N.Y.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP LEADS RAMS AT TERRAPIN INVITE
Frierson, Lambert strong once again for the Black and Gold
1-21-07
Results

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Seniors James Frierson (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) and Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) are making sure their last year at Virginia Commonwealth University is a special one as both members of the men’s track and field team came up strong showings at Saturday’s University of Maryland Terrapin Invitational.

Frierson started the day off with a sixth-place finish in the 60-meter dash as the senior stopped the clock in 6.93. His highlight of the day was in the 200-meter dash, where he was the top collegiate finisher with a time of 22.09.

Lambert led the Rams in the jump events at the meet as he posted two top four finishes for the Black and Gold. Lambert began his day with a fourth place finish in the high jump as he cleared 6’ 8” and he finished with a strong showing in the triple jump as he leaped 48’ 3 1/2”, which landed him a second-place finish.

Junior Jackie DeShazo (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) also had a strong day as he finished second in the 60-meter dash as he broke the tape in a time of 6.89. He posted another top-five finish in the 400-meter dash as he garnered the fifth-place spot with a time of 50.31.

The Rams lone victory of the day came in the Distance Medley Relay as the Black and Gold’s quartet grabbed the top spot with a time of 10:12.79.

The Black and Gold are back in action next week as they travel to State College, Pa. to participate in the Penn State Relays on Friday and Saturday.


RAMS CAPTURE FIVE WINS AT NAVY INVITE
Seniors combine for three wins
Results

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Senior leadership shined bright for the VCU men’s track and field team on Saturday as seniors James Frierson (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) and Davon Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) combined to earn three of the five wins for the Black and Gold at the Navy Invitiatonal. 

Frierson was the standout for the Rams as the senior captured a win in the 55-meter dash with a dominating time of 6.36. He followed up that win with a victory in the 200-meter dash as he stopped the clock in 22.08, nearly a second better than any of his competitors.

Lambert came out of the winter break strong as well, as he won the men’s long jump with a leap of 23’ 4”. The Rams other victories came from junior Jackie DeShazo (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) in the 400-meter dash as he recorded a time of 50.28 to capture the win. The Rams 4x800 meter relay team also won their event for the fifth Black and Gold victory.

Freshman Jamal Blyden and DeAngelo Wilson had strong showings in only their second collegiate meet as they finished second and fourth, respectively, in the 200-meter dash, behind Frierson who won the event.

The Rams return to the track next weekend as they travel to Landover, Md. for the University of Maryland Invitational.


LAMBERT’S LEAPS LEAD RAMS TO STRONG SHOWING AT NAVY INVITATIONAL
Senior wins long jump and high jump in opening meet
12-2-06
Results

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Senior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) started his senior season about as good as any athlete could as the veteran jumper won both the long jump and high jump events at the Navy Invitational, which took place on Friday evening.

Lambert led a strong performance by the Rams in the field events as his leap of 24’ 1.75” topped all competitors by almost a foot. The leap qualifies him for IC4A Championships later in the season. The senior followed that up with a victory in the high jump as he cleared 6’ 6” to capture the win.

Freshman Davon Smith had an impressive debut as he finished fourth in the high jump behind Lambert with a leap of 6’2”. Smith combined with a quartet of Rams in the triple jump as the Black and Gold took the second through fifth place slots. Smith finished in third behind senior teammate Brandon Argro (Richmond, Va./Henrico) as Argro’s leap of 44’ 9.5” grabbed second place in the event. Sophomores Leander Skeete (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) and Jamal Parker (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Sophomore Jason Gallo (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) and freshmen John Blyden and Michael Garel led the Black and Gold on the track as Gallo and Blyden garnered third and fouth place finishes in the 55-meter dash, with Gallo being just .01 seconds off an IC4A-qualifying time.

Garel had an strong debut for the Rams as he finished third in the finals of the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.73, just .01 seconds off an IC4A-qualifying time.

SPOONER NAMED CAA COACH OF THE YEAR
7-21-06

RICHMOND, Va. – Julian Spooner, the head coach of the men’s track and field team at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been named Men’s Coach of the Year in the Colonial Athletic Association.

This marks the sixth time in 12 years that Spooner has earned coach-of-the-year honors. He received four awards in the Metro Conference and was the 2004 CAA Coach of the Year.

Spooner guided the Rams to the 2006 CAA Championship after a pair of second-place finishes in 2004 and 2005. It was the fifth conference title under Spooner for the men’s squad. VCU captured the Metro Conference Outdoor Championships in 1994 and 1995 as well as the 1994 Metro Indoor and 1996 CAA Outdoor titles.

The Rams captured seven event championships at this year’s CAA meet. Junior James Frierson (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) earned four first-place finishes and one second and was named Most Outstanding Track Performer. Junior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) won the high jump to clinch the team title and was third in the triple jump. Lambert was named Most Outstanding Field Performer.

Junior Mariusz Mostrag (Krajnik, Poland/Z.S. NA. 3 in Krajnik) won the 800m at the CAA Championship and finished sixth at the NCAA Regional meet. He participated in the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif.

SEASON ENDS AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
6-7-06
Results

SACRAMENTO, CA - Junior Mariusz Mostrag (Krajnik, Poland/Z.S. NA. 3 in Krajnik) finished fifth in his heat with a time of 1:50.06 in the 800m at the NCAA Championships on Wednesday in the preliminaries. His time of 1:50.06 was not enough for the half-miler to advance in the NCAA Championships. Mostrag advanced to the championships after recording a time of 1:48.61 in the preliminaries in the 800-m of the NCAA Regional last week.

MOSTRAG INVITED TO NCAAS
6-5-06

RICHMOND , Va. - After recording a time of 1:48.61 in the preliminaries in the 800-m of the NCAA Regional last week, Junior Mariusz Mostrag (Krajnik, Poland/Z.S. NA. 3 in Krajnik) (pictured) has been invited to the NCAA Championships. The Championships are held at Sacramento State. Mostrag will compete on Wednesday.

MOSTRAG SIXTH, LAMBERT TIES OWN RECORD AT NCAA EAST REGIONAL
5-28-06
Results

RICHMOND, Va. – Junior Mariusz Mostrag (Krajnik, Poland/Z.S. NA. 3 in Krajnik) (pictured) finished sixth out of 23 competitors in the 800-meter run this weekend at the NCAA East Regional meet, which was held in Greensboro, N.C. on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University.

Mostrag posted a time of 1:48.61 in the preliminaries to earn a spot in the finals on Saturday. The junior distance runner clocked a time of 1:50.01 in the finals, less than one-tenth of a second behind the fifth-place finisher. The top-five finishers in each event qualify for the NCAA championships.

Meanwhile, junior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) finished ninth in both the long and high jumps. The CAA Championship’s Most Outstanding Field Performer tied his own school record in the high jump when he topped a height of 6’11” (2.11m). The jumps specialist cleared the height in his third attempt; however, five competitors cleared the height on either their first of second attempt, earning themselves the five automatic bids to the NCAA Championship.

Lambert leapt a distance of 24’4.25” (7.42m) in the long jump, just 5.5 inches behind the fifth-place finisher.

Junior James Frierson (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs), the CAA Championship’s Most Outstanding Track Performer, posted times of 21.73 and 48.55 in the 200m and 400m dashes, respectively. Frierson elected not compete in the 100m dash.

The CAA Champion 4x100-meter relay team consisting of Frierson, sophomore Jackie Deshazo (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee), junior Derek Altizer (Chesterfield, Va./Thomas Dale) and freshman Jason Gallo (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) finished eleventh after posting a time of 40.82.

FRIERSON AND FIVE OTHERS HEAD TO NCAA EAST REGIONAL
5-25-06

RICHMOND, Va. -- Junior James Frierson (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) and five other members of the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s track and field team are set to compete this weekend at the NCAA East Regional meet, which will be held in Greensboro, N.C. on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University.

Frierson, who was named the Colonial Athletic Association Championship’s Most Outstanding Track Performer, will compete individually in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dash. The junior sprinter will also compete with VCU’s 4x100-meter relay team. Frierson qualified for all four events by winning the gold medal in each at the CAA Championships.

Junior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) will also take part in multiple events for VCU. Lambert was the 2006 CAA Champion in both the high and long jumps and was named the CAA Championship’s Most Outstanding Field Performer. The jumps specialists advanced to the NCAA Championships in both events in 2005.

Junior Mariusz Mostrag (Krajnik, Poland/Z.S. NA. 3 in Krajnik) is the final Ram to compete individually. Mostrag will take part in the 800-meter run, an event in which he claimed gold at the CAA Championships. The distance runner also posted a qualifying time in the event prior to the conference meet.

The CAA Champion 4x100-meter relay team consisting of Frierson, sophomore Jackie Deshazo (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee), junior Derek Altizer (Chesterfield, Va./Thomas Dale) and freshman Jason Gallo (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) will also be in action. The Rams posted an impressive come-from-behind victory at the CAA meet to earn the right to advance to this weekend’s regional.

The top five competitors in each event at the regional meet will advance to the NCAA Championships held June 7-10 in Sacramento, Calif.

RAMS COMPETE IN FINAL TUNE-UP PRIOR TO REGIONALS
5-13-06
Results

ATLANTA, Ga. – Selected members of the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s track and field team competed at the Georgia Tech Invitational in their final tune-up prior to heading to the NCAA Regional meet May 26-27.

Junior James Frierson ( Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) participated in both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes and posted times of 21.59 and 50.18, respectively. Frierson qualified to compete in each of those events at the regional meet along with the 100-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay.

Junior Mariusz Mostrag ( Krajnik, Poland/Z.S. NA. 3 in Krajnik) posted a time of 1:50.60 in the 800-meter run, an event he will enter at the regional meet. Sophomore Christian Matute ( Quito, Ecuador/Universidad Tecnologica Equinoccial) and junior Cary Chaffee ( Richmond, Va./Hermitage) each ran the 800m as well. Matute posted a time of 1:56.06, while Chaffee crossed the finish line at 1:58.51.

Chaffee also competed in the 1500-meter run and notched a time of 3:51.14, earning an 11 th-place finish out of 45 runners.

Also for VCU, sophomore Jackie Deshazo ( Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee), who is a member of the conference champion 4x100-meter relay team, posted a time of 21.83 in the 200-meter dash.

Three other Rams will join Frierson, Deshazo, and Mostrag at regionals in Greensboro, N.C. in two weeks. Junior Davion Lambert ( Richmond, Va./Varina) qualified in the high jump and the long jump, while Derek Altizer (Chesterfield, Va./Thomas Dale) and Jason Gallo (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) will perform as members of the 4x100-meter relay team.


RAMS COMPETE AT PATRIOT OPEN INVITATIONAL
5-07-06
Results

FAIRFAX, Va. – A limited squad from the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s track and field team competed this weekend at the Patriot Open Invitational hosted by George Mason University.

Juniors Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) and Brandon Argro (Richmond, Va./Henrico) each earned second-place finishes on Saturday in the triple jump and long jump, respectively. Lambert posted a mark of 48’9.5” (14.87m), while Argro charted a leap of 22’6.75” (6.88m). Argro competed in the triple jump as well and finished fourth after jumping 46’8.25” (14.23m).

Lambert also finished fifth in the high jump, while Argro claimed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles.

Sophomore Jackie Deshazo (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) grabbed third place in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.83, while freshman Jason Gallo (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) earned an eighth-place finish in the 100-meter dash. Gallo also finished eighth in the 400-meter dash.

The Rams will head to Atlanta, Georgia next weekend for their final meet of the indoor season, the Georgia Tech Invitational, before heading to the NCAA Regional meet in Greensboro, North Carolina, May 26-27.

Lambert, who earned most outstanding field performer honors at last week’s Colonial Athletic Association Championships, leapt a distance of 24’2.75” (7.38m).

The jumps specialist has already qualified for the NCAA Regional meet in both the long jump and the high jump.

Lambert and the rest of the Rams return to action May 7, when they travel to Fairfax, Virginia for the George Mason Invitational.

The Rams overcame two rain-delays at VCU’s SportsBackers stadium on Saturday to edge out UNC-Wilmington by just nine points. The meet was decided in the final event when junior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) claimed first place in the high jump, ensuring victory for his teammates.

Included in Frierson’s laundry list of top finishes were the 100-meter run, 200-meter run, 400-meter run, and the 4x100-meter relay. The sprinter was also a member of the Rams’ 4x400-meter relay team, which finished second. On Friday, Frierson competed in the long jump for the first time in his collegiate career and garnered sixth place. In all, Frierson accounted for 51 of the Rams 181 total points.

Soggy conditions could not hold back the Rams as they dominated the sprints. Four VCU sprinters scored in the 100m including Frierson’s top finish after posting a time of 10.85 seconds. Sophomore Jackie Deshazo (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) earned the bronze medal after a mark of 11.07 seconds. Freshman Jason Gallo (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) claimed fourth, while Junior Derek Altizer (Chesterfield, Va./Thomas Dale) took sixth.

The trio of Frierson, Deshazo, and Gallo scored big again for the Rams in the 200m, finishing first, third, and fourth, respectively. Frierson charted a time of 21.31, while Deshazo crossed the finish line at 21.83 and Gallo posted a mark of 22.10.

In the 400m dash, Frierson and Deshazo grabbed 15 more points for VCU. Frierson won the event with a mark of 47.31, while Deshazo finished fourth after posting a time of 48.85.

Junior Mariusz Mostrag (Krajnik, Poland/Z.S. NA. 3 in Krajnik) took home the gold in the 800-meter run after posting a time of 1:53.25. Teammate Lukasz Matusiewicz (Warsaw, Poland/NV 7 in Warsaw) was close behind with a time of 1:53.73, earning himself a silver medal. Sophomore Christian Matute (Quito, Ecuador/Universidad Tecnologica Equinoccial) grabbed fifth place, earning four more points for VCU bringing the total to 23 in the event.

Mostrag also scored in the 1500-meter run by finishing fourth with a time of 3:53.71. Junior Cary Chaffee (Richmond, Va./Hermitage) earned seventh place in the same event with a mark of 3:59.60.

The Rams proved to be handy with the baton as well. VCU won the gold medal in the 4x100-meter relay and the silver in the 4x400-meter relay. Altizer, Gallo, Frierson, and Deshazo earned a remarkable come from behind victory in the 4x100 while posting a season best time of 40.83.

The team of Frierson, Matusiewicz, Mostrag, and freshman Sean Lam (Virginia Beach, Va./Landstown) earned second place in the 4x400 with a time of 3:17.49 as rain started to fall on Richard A. Hollander Track.

VCU was also able to withstand the rain in the hurdle events. Junior Kyle Miller (Front Royal, Va./ Warren County) picked up a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles, while junior Mike Vanderhoof (Purcellville, Va./ Louden County) placed eighth. Sophomore Brandon Argro (Richmond, Va./Henrico) tallied one point for the Rams in the 110-meter hurdles after he finished eighth.

In the field events, junior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) picked up where he left off on Friday, grabbing the gold in the high jump and bronze in the triple jump. Lambert easily cleared a height of 6’4.75” in the long jump and nailed a mark of 49’1” in the triple jump. On Friday, the junior earned his third-consecutive CAA title in the long jump.

Freshman Leander Skeete (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) joined Lambert in the high jump and picked up a fourth-place finish, helping to claim the title for VCU. Freshman Jamal Parker (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) earned sixth in the triple, while Argo finished seventh.

Junior Allen Sandidge  (Amherst, Va./Amherst County) rounded out the scoring for the Rams in the field events with a seventh-place finish in the shot put after posting a mark of 46’11.50.”

The most impressive feat of the championship may have come from the competitors who withstood two days of pouring rain to compete in the decathlon. Kyle Miller turned in a gutsy performance and earned the silver medal with 6,124 points. Freshman James Evangelisti (McLean, Va./Langley) grabbed fourth with 5,500 points, while sophomore Cordell Page (Richmond, Va./Manchester) placed eighth with 5,318.

This is the Rams second title under head coach Julian Spooner. VCU last won a CAA Championship in 1996 when current assistant coach Ron Jones was a member of the team. Coincidentally, Saturday was Jones’s birthday.

All athletes who won their respective events qualified for the NCAA Regionals, which will be held May 26-27 in Greensboro, N.C. The Rams will be back in action next weekend at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pa.

Final Standings:
1 VCU  181
2 UNCW  172
3 William & Mary 158
4 Northeastern 111.50
5 George Mason  83
6 Delaware  66
7 James Madison  31.50
8 Georgia State  12

LAMBERT DEFENDS LONG JUMP TITLE AT CAA CHAMPIONSHIP
4-21-06
Day One Results

RICHMOND, Va. – Junior Davion Lambert (Richmond, Va./Varina) claimed his third-consecutive long jump title Friday at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University.

Lambert, who was the 2005 CAA Co-Track Athlete of the Year, narrowly edged senior Mark Kellman of George Mason University. In his final attempt, the junior posted his best mark of the evening with a leap of 24’3.25” (7.40m). Immediately following Lambert, Kellman posted an identical mark.

In order to determine the winner, rules dictated that officials refer to each competitor’s second-farthest jump. Nothing was decided as Lambert and Kellman had both posted marks of 23’11” (7.29m).

The champion was finally named after officials referred to each jumper’s third-longest leap. Lambert had posted a mark of 23’6.25” (7.17m), while Kellman’s mark was 23’0” (7.01m). Lambert’s top three leaps all came in the finals of the competition.

Also, sophomores Brandon Argro (Richmond, Va./Henrico) and James Frierson (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) finished fourth and sixth in the long jump, respectively. Frierson competed in the long jump for the first time in his collegiate career.

Other scoring for VCU came from junior Cary Chaffee (Richmond, Va./Hermitage) who placed sixth in the 5000 meter run after posting a time of 15:01.57. Jay Wyss (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker) claimed third in the 10,000 meter run with a time of 31:08.17. Junior Lukasz Matusiewicz (Warsaw, Poland/NV 7 in Warsaw) finished eighth in the 3000 meter steeplechase.

After five events of the decathlon, junior Kyle Miller (Front Royal, Va./ Warren County) enjoys a 233 point lead over second place Jack Sherman of Northeastern. The final five events will be tomorrow.

Day two of the CAA Championships will begin Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The meet is being held at VCU’s SportsBackers Stadium. Tickets are still available.