(LEBANON, Ill., April 23) – McKendree University sophomores Ryan Pearce (Villa Grove, IL/Villa Grove) and Alex McCrite (Tamms, IL/Egyptian) paced the Bearcats track and field programs at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Fl on the campus of the University of Flordia Friday.

McKendree sent a pair of partial squads to compete with a mixed bag of Division I and international teams competing at the meet.

Pearce and McCrite highlighted the day for McKendree as each were able to place in the top three of their respective events. Pearce launched a throw of 16.68-meters to hit a qualifying metric and score six points in the shot put finishing behind a pair of throwers from the University of Miami. Pearce also placed sixth in the javelin after a toss of 51.23-meters and seventh in the discus with a distance of 51.77-meters. McCrite finished .03 meters shy of his personal best with a height of 2.02 meters in the high jump to tie for second place.

Freshman Monte Wolke (Sigel, IL/Cumberland) placed sixth in the pole vault after posting a height of 4.61-meters.

The Bearcats relay teams each placed fifth. The 4x100-meter team of juniors Donovan Friscia (Jacksonville, FL/Bartram Trail) and Cameron James (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville), along with sophomore Kevin Witcik (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) and freshman Demontez McCray (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) hit a provisional standard after finishing in 40.90-seconds. The 4x400-meter squad of McCray, junior Duane Cargill (Nassau, Bahamas/Liberty Christian Academy), and freshman Tyree Allen (Country Club Hills, IL/Hillcrest) and Tyler Johnson (South Holland, IL/St. Rita) finished in 3:23.43.

Freshman Quincy McSweeney (Eureka, IL/Eureka) and Ciara Jones (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) each tabbed seventh place finishes for the women's team as McSweeney finished in 2:11.80 in the 800-meter and Jones landed a distance of 11.46-meters in the triple jump.