NEW LONDON, Conn. — Sophomore John Dowgiert (Methuen, Mass.) placed first in the 200 meters and finished third in the 55 meters to lead the men's track & field team today at the CGA Winter Invite at Roland Hall in New London, Conn.

Dowgiert led a dominant effort in the 200 meters for the Lyons with seven Wheaton runners placing among the top eight, including Dowgiert's win. He turned in a converted time of 22.68 (23.38 actual time) to qualify for the NCAA Division III New England Championship. He also posted a mark of 6.71 in the 55 meters. First year Kai Hillier (Hinesburg, Vt.) also registered a victory for Wheaton after winning the mile run with a converted time of 4:24.32 (4:29.27 actual time) in his first collegiate race to qualify for the NCAA Division III New England Championship.

The Lyons placed first in the 4X400 relay as well with a time of 3:36.28 compiled by the quartet of sophomore Zac Elmasri, senior Matt Daley (Branford, Conn.), senior Anthony Almas (Marstons Mills, Mass.) and first year GJ Mualis (Taunton, Mass.).

Sophomore Kelvin Peterson (Eliot, Maine) finished second in the 200 meters with a converted time of 22.94 (23.65 actual time) Almas was third with a converted mark of 23.01 (23.72 actual time) to qualify them both for the NCAA Division III New England race. Senior Justin Hart (Queens, N.Y.) made his debut for Wheaton with a fourth-place effort in the race on a time of 24.07 and Mualis finished sixth at 24.55. Senior Graeme Wojtowicz (Hyannis, Mass.) finished seventh with a time of 24.65 and first year Nathan Plympton (East Greenwich, R.I.) made his collegiate debut with a time of 24.95 to finish eighth. Hart also placed sixth in the 55 meters with a mark of 6.91. 

Sophomore Jordan Pinnix (Manchester, Conn.) clocked in at 7.97 in the 55-meter hurdles to place third. The time translates to a converted mark of 8.58 to qualify for the NCAA Division III New England Championship and rank as the 44th-fastest time in the nation in the 60-meter hurdles. First year Ricardo Goncalves (Revere, Mass.) placed sixth in the race with a mark of 8.44.

Sophomore Noah White (Winchester, Mass.) finished second in the 3000 meters for the Lyons with a time of 9:18.03, while junior Matthew Lambert (Hampton, N.H.) placed fifth with a time of 9:39.96.

Peterson also finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 6.14 meters, while sophomore Ryan Ventura (South Easton, Mass.) finished seventh with a mark of 5.61 meters. Pinnix placed fifth in the triple jump with a distance of 12.11 meters. 

Senior Kyle Monfredo (Worcester, Mass.) led Wheaton in the field events with a second-place effort in the weight throw on a sling of 13.13 meters, in addition to finishing ninth in the shot put with a mark of 11.30 meters.

First year Griffen Copp (Littleton, Mass.) made his collegiate debut with a pair of fifth-place showings in the shot put (11.97 meters) and the weight throw (11.78) meters.

The Lyons return to action on Saturday, January 21 when they host the Lyon-Mule Dual meet at 2:00 p.m. at Beard Field House.