Staten Island, N.Y. ­­— The New Jersey City University men's and women's track & field teams kicked off the new year this afternoon, Jan. 14, at the Spartan Invite, hosted by St. Thomas Aquinas at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.

Junior Tyneil Jackson (Jersey City, N.J./Ferris) claimed a new personal record in the triple jump event, finishing eighth after hitting 12.75 meters. Jackson's previous record of 12.55 meters was set at last year's Ramapo Mini Meet on Apr. 23. Jackson also placed 24th in the long jump event with a jump of 5.54m – he placed behind competitors from division I and II programs in both events.

As for the rest of the men, juniors Roger Campbell (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson) and Emmanuel Chinonso Abarah (Irvington, N.J./Irvington) finished fifth and seventh in the 500m dash, with times of 1:12.39 and 1:13.37, respectively. Multiple Gothic Knights placed in the 1000-meter run, starting with junior Adnan Kpodo (Irvington, N.J./Irvington), who ended sixth with a time of 2:48.08, freshman Vladimir Pericles (Elizabeth, N.J./Thomas Edison Academy) who ended 10th with a time of 2:56.60 and junior Denilson Lopez (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) who ended 12th with a time of 3:03.70. In the 200-meter dash, juniors Jason Garcia (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson) finished 23rd with 24.07 while junior Josiah Ramkellawan (Jersey City, N.J./James J. Ferris) placed 39th with 27.50.

On the women's side, junior Destiny Gittens (Newark, N.J./Newark Tech) placed 20th in the shot-put event with 6.14m. In the long jump, junior Polina Agutina (Evaptoria, Ukraine/Number 6) placed 10th with 4.79m while junior Arame Diouf (Weehawken, N.J./Memorial) followed in 24th with 3.93m.

There was no team scoring, however, the Green and Gold competed in eight different events overall.

What's Next:
Jersey City will travel to the Armory Track in New York, N.Y., to compete in the Ramapo Invite on Jan. 21.