CMS 4x400 Relay Team Breaks 34-Year Program Record at Azusa Pacific

AZUSA, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's track and field team's 4x400 relay ran a 3:12.34 at the Azusa Pacific Last Chance Meet to break a program record which had held since 1988 on Saturday afternoon.

The old record of 3:12.60 was set by Mark Messana, Derek Elmore, Kurt Hocker, and Tony Gnecco in 1988, and was challenged once in 2005 (3:12.96), which was the only time any Stag quartet had come within a second of the record. Massimo Bertini, Nick Teresi, Christian Campbell and Jamie Cockburn had their fastest time of 3:15.57 earlier this season at the second SCIAC Multi-Dual, and trimmed over three seconds off of it at Azusa, breaking the program record .26 in the process. 

In addition to setting a new CMS standard, it is also the second-fastest time run in all of Division III this season, behind only the 3:11.23 from Mount Union. The CMS quartet came in to the meet today in 21st place, which would have left them out of the NCAA Division III Championships in two weeks, but they now stand in position to not just qualify, but to challenge for a national title.  

The Stags also won a close race to come in first place at the Azusa Pacific Last Chance Meet, just edging the Academy of Art, which finished in 3:12.90.  

In other events, Cockburn ran a 21.35 in the 200-meter dash, taking .18 off of his personal best set at the SCIAC Championships three weeks ago, which moves him up to second place in CMS history. He is now just .09 behind Messana's record, which has stood since 1987.

The 4x100 relay of Cockburn, Teresi, Quincey Williams and Campbell also ran a season's-best 41.53, which puts them in fifth place in CMS history. In the field events, Jason Bowman set a new PR in the hammer with a throw of 52.41 meters.