Chester, Pa. — The University of Lynchburg track & field teams posted a conference record for the sixth time this outdoor season and improved marks ahead of the NCAA Championships at Lenoir-Rhyne and Widener University.

On Monday afternoon at Widener, the Hornets distance squad delivered a pair of record times in the 800m run.

Tor Hotung-Davidsen accelerated into eighth all-time in Division III with a 1:48.30 performance to win the event. Hotung-Davidsen clocked 1:48.47 at the Bryan Clay Invitational earlier this season to improve his previous Old Dominion Athletic Conference record. Coming into the meet, he already held the fastest time in the nation for this outdoor campaign.

"The pace was a little slow, but we ended up having a great battle in the last 200 meters," said Hotung-Davidsen. "This kind of race gives me the utmost confidence at nationals for what me and my teammates can accomplish. I know with those guys being around the same fitness level that nationals is going to be more fun than it's ever been."

Hannah Edwards shaved two seconds off her 800m personal best to claim the program record, registering 2:10.01 for sixth in the field. Since the beginning of the season, Edwards improved from her 2:15.39 PR in 2024 by five seconds. Edwards' mark is 19th in DIII coming into the meet, and the top 22 will qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Over the weekend, several athletes traveled to Lenoir-Rhyne University to compete in the Lenoir-Rhyne Last Chance #1 meet.

In the men's decathlon, Micah Leech earned first with 6,440 points to the 20th mark in DIII. Leech ousted the competition in four events, winning the decathlon 100m (11.23), 110m hurdles (15.47), long jump (22' 8" or 6.91m) and 1500m (4:51.76). The sophomore tallied personal bests in four events and placed in the top three of nine events. 22 decathletes qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Margo Fox placed third in the women's heptathlon with 4,493 points. Fox finished second in the women's high jump (1.56m) and third in the 800m (2:25.90) with a personal best. The junior also earned a PR in the 200m dash (27.42).

The Lynchburg men's 4x100m relay clocked 41.13 to finish second in the meet. The team's 40.96 performance from the 2025 ODAC Outdoor Championships is 29th in the nation, and the top 16 advance to the NCAA Championships.

Michael Hamm finished fourth in the men's 200m dash with a 21.76 season best. 

Several field athletes competed for two consecutive days and registered two sets of marks over the weekend.

In field events, Kacey Kelly earned second in the women's javelin with a 32.74m mark and third in the women's triple jump (11.81m). Kelly's 12.09m performance from earlier in the season ranks ninth in DIII. On the second day, Kelly threw 38.53m in the women's javelin for first.

Demetri Hinton earned a PR in the men's triple jump, leaping 14.43m for a third-place finish. Hinton boasts the 31st-best mark in DIII after his outdoor freshman campaign.

Kenzie Swicegood earned four podium finishes throughout the weekend. On day one, the sophomore placed first in the women's discus (129' 0" or 39.32m) and third in the women's hammer throw (132' 11" or 40.52m). On day two, Swicegood registered 130' 11" (39.90m) in the discus and 132' 3" (40.30m) in the hammer throw for second-place marks.

National finalists will be announced in a press release on Friday, May 16 by the NCAA. The SPIRE Institute will host the NCAA Championships in Geneva, Ohio from Thursday, May 22 to Saturday, May 24.

For results from Widener, click here.

For results from Lenoir Rhyne, click here.

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--LYN--