STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - A group of nine athletes competed in six events during competition at the Gotham Cup on Friday afternoon as Villanova beat the impending blizzard with a successful day at the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Athletic Complex. Sophomore James Deutmeyer (Rye, N.Y.) finished first in the pole vault, while freshmen Charlie O'Brien (Orinda, Calif.) and Utsav Deshpande (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) each tallied season-best times in the 400 meters.

Deutmeyer led a field of 11 athletes in the pole vault by clearing the bar at a height of 4.65 meters. This is the second straight week that he has been successful at that height, as he also tied for fourth place with the same mark at last week's Great Dane Classic.

In the 400 meters, O'Brien recorded a time of 50.88 and crossed the finish line nine-tenths of a second faster than in his first race of the season at the Villanova Open two weeks ago. O'Brien placed 38th out of 97 runners in the event and Deshpande was 63rd with a time of 52.29. The only other running event the Wildcats competed in was the 60 meters, in which sophomore Bryant Herlocker (Wilmette, Ill.) recorded a time of 7.46 in his season debut.

The team's two multi-event athletes, junior PJ Succi (Warminster, Pa.) and senior Robert Cacace (Yonkers, N.Y.), each competed in the long jump on Friday afternoon. Succi registered a mark of 5.83 meters to finish in 35th place in the event. Cacace was 41st with a jump of 5.63 meters.

Senior James Rowen (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), junior Dan Sullivan (North Hampton, N.H.) and sophomore John McDonald (New Providence, N.J.) competed in the throwing events. Rowen came in 10th in the weight throw with a distance of 14.09 meters and also recorded a 17th place finish in the shot put with a mark of 12.72 meters. His result in the weight throw was a season-best mark and was the first time this year he surpassed 14 meters. Sullivan came in seventh in the shot put with a distance of 14.12 meters and McDonald was ninth in the weight throw after recording a mark of 14.24 meters.

Villanova returns to action at the Penn State National next weekend.

COMPLETE VILLANOVA RESULTS
Gotham Cup
No Team Scoring

60 Meters

Bryant Herlocker           67th of 88                7.46

400 Meters

Charlie O'Brien            38th of 97                50.88Utsav Deshpande            63rd                      52.29

Pole Vault

James Deutmeyer            1st of 11                 4.65m

Long Jump

PJ Succi                   35th of 47                5.83mRobert Cacace              41st                      5.63m

Shot Put

Dan Sullivan               7th of 34                 14.12mJames Rowen                17th                      12.72m

Weight Throw

John McDonald              9th of 28                 14.24mJames Rowen                10th                      14.09m