The Wesleyan men’s and women’s track and field teams competed impressively over the past two weeks against some of the top squads in the nation. A number of Wesleyan school records fell in the process, the culmination of the dedication and will to improve of this Cardinals group over the course of the winter season.

At the New England Open at Boston University, Sierra Livious ’14 took down a Wesleyan record that has stood since 1995, as her 3,157 points in the pentathlon eclipsed the previous mark by 30 points. The result for Livious, the sole representative in Boston for the Lady Cards, was 13th-best in Division III, giving her a shot at qualifying for the NCAA Championships. On the men’s side, LaDarius Drew ’15 held his own in a field against some Division I runners, breaking his own school record in the 60m as he finished sixth with a time of 06.93. Drew also broke a 17-year-old mark in the 200m when he clocked in at 20.69 in the preliminary round, but even this Wesleyan record was not good enough to qualify for the finals. Tommie Lark ’12 also set a new record for the Cardinals in Boston, with his triple jump of 49-1 1/2 good for second place at the meet.

Two more school records fell in the ECAC Championships at the Armory in New York City, both at the hands of the Lady Cards. The relay team of Livious, Kimora Brock ’15, Julia Frieze ’12, and Ambrosia Smith ’15 cruised to fifth place in the 4×400 with a time of 3:58.37 to set a new Wesleyan mark, while Frieze’s second-place showing in the 500m in 1:17.04 took down the previous Cardinal best in the event, set 26 years prior. These historic performances by Wesleyan runners helped the Cardinals accrue 22 team points, earning them a 12th place finish.

Drew, Lark, and Livious each have a chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships for their performances in the 60m, triple jump, and pentathlon, respectively. Should they qualify, they will travel to Grinnell College from March 9 to 10 to face off against the best of the best of Division III. The rest of the squad will prime themselves for the beginning of the spring outdoor season on March 24.