April 25, 2014

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - On distance night at Franklin Field several entries for Villanova competed in the 3000 meter steeplechase and the 5000 meters on Thursday evening. Those races produced three personal best times as the Wildcats got underway at the 120th Penn Relays. Graduate student Greg Morrin (Hockessin, Del.) set a new personal best in the 3000 meter steeplechase, while junior Robert Hurlbut (Rochester, N.Y.) and redshirt freshman Kevin Corbusier (Monkton, Md.) each established new top times in the 5000 meters.

Morrin raced in the College section of the 3000 meter steeplechase and crossed the finish line in 9:11.46. He eclipsed his previous personal best in the event by more than seven seconds and also recorded the fastest steeplechase time by a Villanova runner since Dan Lewis ran faster at the 2010 NCAA East Regional.

In the Championship section of the 5000 meters Hurlbut and Corbusier were separated by less than four-tenths of a second at the finish line. Hurlbut came in 12th out of 35 runners in the section with a time of 14:39.10, while Corbusier was right behind him and posted a time of 14:39.44. Sophomore Tom Trainer (Havertown, Pa.) also ran in the Championship section of the 5000 meters and came in 18th overall with a time of 14:40.82.

The final entry of the night for the Wildcats was senior Brent Johnson (Knoxville, Tenn.), who competed in the Olympic Development section of the 5000 meters. Johnson crossed the finish line in 14:41.50 and ranked 22nd out of 36 runners in his section.

Friday will be a busy day for Villanova, highlighted by the men's distance medley relay Championship of America race at 2:25 p.m. Later in the afternoon the preliminary heats of the men's 4x400 meter relay will begin at 4:15 p.m.

Action gets underway for the Wildcats earlier in the day when when juniors Elbert Maxwell (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Matthew Sidney (Canton, Mass.) compete in the Eastern section of the high jump starting at 10 a.m. Maxwell returns to action in the afternoon for the Championship section of the long jump, while senior Chris Dougherty (Cherry Hill, N.J.) and freshman Kolby Koeck (Altoona, Pa.) will be in the Eastern section of the pole vault at 3 p.m.

COMPLETE VILLANOVA RESULTS

3000 Meter Steeplechase (College Section)

Greg Morrin                7th of 20                 9:11.46

5000 Meters (Championship Section)

Robert Hurlbut             12th of 35                14:39.10Kevin Corbusier            13th                      14:39.44Tom Trainer                18th                      14:40.82

5000 Meters (Olympic Development Section)

Brent Johnson              22nd of 36                14:41.50