LANDOVER, Md. — The Catholic University men's track and field team celebrated its hosting of the 2024 Robert Comstock Cardinal Classic with massive success. The Cardinals claimed one Landmark Conference record, two school records, four event wins and numerous personal bests, headlined by a historic performance from Christian Di Nicolantonio in the pole vault. 

After two trips to NCAA Indoor National Championship Meets, while this season is still young, the junior put himself in prime position to return for a third-consecutive year. Di Nicolantonio vaulted 5.20 meters to set a new program record, set a new conference record and claim the top jump in DIII this season. He bettered his previous program best of 5.05m to win the event comfortably and become just the 20th male in DIII history to to vault 5.20m or higher.

Jevontae Fearwell set a school record of his own, sprinting 22.37 to win the 200-meter dash. The junior beat William Crowder of Shenandoah to the line by .32 seconds to claim the win and etch his name in Catholic's history books.

Fearwell also grabbed a second-place finish in the 60-meter dash as a trio of Cardinals qualified into the final. Fearwell went 7.00 flat, coming in just .06 seconds behind winner Eric Gregory of Gallaudet, while teammates Samuel Compton (4th, 7.16) and Sebastian Lopez (5th, 7.17) followed him to the line.

Senior Connor Powers notched a personal best in the field to win the high jump, hopping 1.90m to win the event by .10 meters over Shakir Clark of Virginia Union.

Conor Gross also claimed a victory, smashing his previous personal best to win the 3,000-meter run. Gross won the event by nearly eight full seconds and his time of 9:03.24 places him at seventh all-time in Catholic's history. Meanwhile, Joey Locke also posted a personal-best time in a distance event, clocking 16:28.34 to place fourth in the 5,000m.

Kendrick DuPree ran to a top-five finish in a field of over 35 competitors in the 800-meter run,, going 2:00.37 to place fourth. Dylan Stefans produced a personal-best time of 2:02.22 to place seventh in the same event.

Chilowe Osai earned a bronze medal finish in the 60-meter hurdles, logging a time of 8.91 while freshman Gabe Stypul, competing in the event for the first time in his college career, placed fifth at 9.21. Graduate student Jordyn Walker grabbed a pair of podium finishes in the field, placing second in the triple jump (13.55m) and third in the long jump (6.55m). He holds the program record in both events.

Next, the Cardinals will make the short trip to Fairfax, Va., to take part in the Patriot Games hosted by George Mason next weekend.
 

About Robert Comstrock

Robert (Bob) Comstock was a Catholic University of America track star and coach who had a remarkable career on behalf of CUA as a student, an athlete and alumnus.

Bob graduated from Catholic in 1958, having starred as a sprinter on the school's track team, and having played on Catholic's basketball and baseball teams as well. After
graduation in May 1958, Bob served in the United States Air Force where, among other things, he piloted the F-104 Starfighter. He returned to Catholic and graduated from the university's Columbus School of Law in 1964. While in law school, Bob coached Catholic's cross country and track & field teams, and went on to found the National Invitational Indoor Track Meet for which he was Meet Director from 1968 through 1976.

In addition to having a remarkable business career in the banking industry, and in his profession as an attorney and founder of the D.C. law firm Comstock & Reilly LLP, Comstock served for years on Catholic University's Board of Trustees. He was a Trustee of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception as well.

Bob was a talented and generous contributor to Catholic University for decades, first as a student and athlete, then as a coach and a Trustee. His legacy is great, and he will be missed.