HOUSTON, Texas - Freshman Bryson Champagne won the men's 400-meter race in his Lamar University debut as the Cardinals opened their indoor track and field season at the Leonard Hilton Memorial Invitational hosted by the University of Houston. LU totaled 14 top-five finishes from both squads, including one first, two seconds, and two thirds while also breaking two school records.
 
Competing in the third heat of his race, Champagne crossed the line with a time of 49.97 seconds, which edged out teammate Callen Horn (50.01) by four one-hundredths.
 
Jonathan Rivera was one of four runners to break the 3,000m meet record, which had been previously held by former Cardinal Freddy Richardson (8:25.07). He clocked in at 8:15.63 and took second place, finishing ahead of Andres Padron (8:27.93), who came in fifth.
 
Alex Williams III took third in the men's shot put with a mark of 16.34m (53-07.5) and fourth in the weight throw (17.95m - 58'10.5) while Kaleb Robinson placed fourth in both the long jump (7.06m-23-2) and triple jump (14.18m-46-06.25). The men's 4x400 relay team of Ethan Ellis, Cameron Chin, Horn, and Tyler Minter claimed third with a time of 3:18.46. John Sanderson competed in the 60H and broke the school mark with eight seconds flat. 
 
For the women, Kyndall Drones set new personal best in the weight throw (17.03m-55'10.50) to place fifth in the event and the shot put (13.42m-44-0.5), which also set a new school record. 
Kayla Smith earned fourth in the women's 400m race at 57.10.
 
The Cardinals will head out west to Albuquerque, N.M. for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational hosted by the University of New Mexico. That meet will get started on Friday, Jan. 23^rd.

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