EWING, N.J. – The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's and women's track and field teams returned to action on Saturday, April 26, competing on day two of the Lions Invitational hosted by The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). The Gothic Knights showcased their growing strength, tallying three top-five finishes—two from senior Reyanna Henderson (Pemberton, N.J./Pemberton Two)—and multiple personal bests and program top marks.

Senior sprinter Reyanna Henderson (Pemberton, N.J./Pemberton Two) led the way for NJCU, delivering a standout performance in both the 100-meter and 400-meter events. In the 100m, Henderson placed third overall and was the top Division III finisher in the field, crossing the line in 12.47 seconds. She followed that up with a fifth-place finish in the 400m, clocking 58.25 seconds in a field of 25 runners.

Sophomore Raven Orange (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) also competed in the 100m, where she placed 15th out of 37 with a time of 13.11 seconds. She returned to the track for the 200m, finishing 12th in a personal-best time of 26.59 seconds. Freshman Saniya Chappius (Millville, N.J./Millville Senior) added to the team's list of PRs, running 27.65 seconds in the 200m for a 23rd-place finish.

In the mid-distance races, sophomore Jezena Aponte (Jersey City, N.J./Snyder) continued her strong outdoor season with appearances in both the 800-meter and 1,500-meter runs. Aponte placed 25th in the 800m, clocking 2:28.62—a time that now ranks fifth in NJCU program history. In the 1,500m, she placed 12th with a time of 5:03.06. Remarkably, Aponte now holds all top-five all-time NJCU performances in the 800m and the top six times in the 1,500m, continuing to rewrite the record books.

In the field events, junior Tonna Ogina (North Brunswick, N.J./Highland Park) had a breakout performance, particularly in the triple jump. She placed fourth overall with a personal-best mark of 11.32 meters, easily surpassing the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Outdoor Championships qualifying standard of 11.00 meters. Ogina's new PR currently ranks her 48th nationally in Division III. She also competed in the long jump, placing sixth with a mark of 5.44 meters. That jump ranks her 61st in Division III this season and fifth in NJCU history.

On the men's side, junior Pratt Charles (Jersey City, N.J./University Charter) posted the team's highest finish, taking 16th place in the long jump with a distance of 6.36 meters. Freshman Kenny Balisage (Roselle, N.J./Roselle Park) also competed in the long jump, placing 39th with a 5.12-meter mark, and later ran the 100m, finishing in 12.77 seconds for 60th place.
In the sprints, junior Isaiah Ramirez (Edison, N.J./John P. Stevens) secured a top-20 finish in the 400-meter dash, placing 18th with a time of 51.33 seconds. Freshman Goncalo Carvalho (Newark, N.J./East Side High School) joined him in the event and clocked 53.50 seconds for 32nd place.

Freshman Christan Palmer (Union, N.J./Union) led the way for NJCU in the men's 100-meter dash, placing 26th overall in a personal-best time of 11.61 seconds. Kameron McGainey (Union, N.J./Union), making his collegiate debut, finished 54th with a time of 12.29 seconds.

Up Next:
The Gothic Knights will return to Ewing, N.J., next Saturday, May 3, to compete at the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships.

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