GLENVILLE, W.Va. — Battling more inclement weather, Davis & Elkins track & field concluded the 2021 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Outdoor Championships on Tuesday afternoon. Nokia Masengu earned the MEC Freshman of the Year honor after posting a strong meet in the sprinting events. 

Without throwers, Davis & Elkins still impressed in the team standings. The men's team earned sixth, while the women's squad nabbed fifth. D&E ended just six points shy of third on the men's side in a compacted team leaderboard.

Competition was suspended briefly before resuming once thunderstorms cleared the Glenville area. 

Samantha Kirk and Masengu picked up conference championships on day three for the Senators to highlight multiple all-conference efforts. Kirk won the conference crown in the finals of the 400 hurdles, posting a 63.55, while Masengu finished first in the 200m (21.80). 

Masengu also added a second-place finish in the finals of the 100m (10.85) and teammate Dalton Irvine picked up third in the 100H (15.02). 

Benjamin Banda raced to second in the 400m (49.48) and Hannah Moore collected a second-place finish on the women's side with a school record 2:21.59 in the 800m. 

Maya Brinson nabbed second in the 5000m (18:58.43) and fourth in the 1500m (5:04.18) to highlight the distance group for D&E. Meanwhile, Tijmen Bouw (4th; 3:59.83), Emeric Arnaud (6th; 4:01.38), Jackson Gibson (8th; 4:06.06) and Matthew Chapman (10th; 4:09.07) all secured a top 10 spot in a crowded 1500m men's field. 

Five runners broke the previous MEC meet record in the 5000m, including R.J. Weiford's fifth-place time of 15:18.94. The men's 4x400 relay, consisting of Sterling St-Cyr, Masengu, Bouw and Banda, ended the championships with an exciting third-place finish in a school record 3:19.25. 

The men's 4x100 relay team of St-Cyr, Irvine, Banda and Masengu added a school record with a fifth-place finish earlier in the day. 
 

Congratulations to all of our students-athletes for a great three-day MEC Championships meet!

Sam Kirk (400H) and Nokia Masengu (200) won the conference title in their events with Masengu later earning Freshman of the Year honors. pic.twitter.com/ampIfnuxAx

— D&E XC/Track & Field (@senatorxctrk) May 4, 2021

Dymere Jones also earning Second Team All-MEC in the triple jump! pic.twitter.com/iiCiBCkaIE

— D&E XC/Track & Field (@senatorxctrk) May 4, 2021

 

We kept the accolades coming with several third-place finishes:

??Dalton Irvine - 110H
??Maya Brinson - 5000
??4x400 Relay - Sterling St-Cyr, Nokia Masengu, Tijmen Bouw, Ben Banda pic.twitter.com/65XUEFGPdk

— D&E XC/Track & Field (@senatorxctrk) May 4, 2021

MEC Awards
MVP (high point at championship meet)
Women: Lauren Leaman (WVWC)
Men: Jason Weitzel (CU) and Nathan Stout (UC)
 
Freshman of the Year (Vote by coaches)
Women: Mercy Jepleting (UC)
Men: Nokia Masengu (D&E)
 
Field Athlete of the Year (Vote by coaches)
Women: Liz Fleming (WHL)
Men: Nathan Stout (UC)
 
Track Athlete of the Year (Vote by coaches)
Women: Faith Gandy (WVWC)
Men: Jack Mastandrea (UC)
 
Coach of the Year (vote by coaches)
Women: Patrick Stanton (WHL) and Alan Crise (WVWC)
Men: Nick Bias (UC)