WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 21, 2026) – The King's College men's track and field team kicked off the spring outdoor track and field season on Saturday with strong performances and personal best records as the team hosted the Monarch Invitational at the Betzler Outdoor Track. 

In the field events, Brady Rutkoski started off the day by setting a personal best mark in the hammer throw at 39.73 meters to earn third. His performance was 3.68 meters better than his previous standard. Daniel Mattey claimed fourth in the event with a personal best toss of 36.05 meters, which was a staggering 7.50 meters better than his original. Joey Schneider placed fifth overall with a toss of 35.83 meters.

Tyler Bird was triumphant in the javelin throw, winning the event at 52.81 meters. Teammates Josh Malone, Rutkoski, Schneider, and Victor Cocchiaro placed sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively. Malone threw for 34.30 meters, while Rutkoski throwed 33.58 meters, and Schneider and Cocchiaro posted marks of 30.48 and 30.03 meters.

In the shot put, Mattey claimed second at 11.15 meters, while Rutkoski earned third with a toss of 10.80 meters, and Schnieder took fourth at 10.20 meters.

Philliph Oden placed second in the high jump at 1.72 meters, while Malone set a personal best with a leap of 1.67 meters, .04 meters longer than his previous record. In the pole vault, Noah Nelson-Carrol was victorious in the event at 3.28 meters while Malone set another personal best mark at 3.13 meters, which was .08 meters better than his previous standard. Oden additionally claimed second in the long jump with a leap of 5.62 meters, while Kival Clarke won the triple jump at 12.63 meters.

In the discus, Mattey took third with a personal best toss of 37.67 meters, which was 3.78 meters better than his original. Rutkoski claimed fifth at 35.63 meters, Schneider took sixth at 33.27 meters, Bird got eighth at 29.29 meters, Jeverett Brauer earned ninth at 27.91 meters, and Kacy Miller placed 12th with a toss of 20.21 meters.

In the track events, Preston Klem placed first overall in the 1500m with a personal best time of 4:02.75. Klem's performance was 5.38 seconds faster than his original best time. Ben Wnuk claimed second at 4:28.48, while Vincent Fazzino placed seventh at 4:53.28, and Noah Kolinovsky earned ninth at 5:12.75.

Casimir Glaude earned second overall in the 400 meter dash by crossing the line at 54.11, as teammate Ryan Baxter took third at 54.83, and Jarret Houch placed fourth at 56.48.

In the 100 meter dash, Kival Clarke stopped the clock at 11.54 placing second overall, while Dary Pichardo and Jordan Jones earned fourth and fifth respectively at 11.67 and 11.69. Nathan Patla came in eighth with a time of 12.06, while James Mann got eleventh by running a time of 13.99.

The team ended the day with strong results in the 200 meter dash, as Pichardo claimed third at 24.53, Patla earning fourth with a time of 25.43, and Cocchiaro placing fifth by crossing the line in 26.47.

The Monarchs return to action on Friday March 27, as they compete at the Danny Curran Invitational hosted by Widener University at the George A. Hansell Track.