WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Bard College men's track and field team competed at the West Point Tune-Up on Saturday, with several excellent individual performances highlighting the day. Competing against Div. I and III schools, the Raptors used the event as an opportunity to test their fitness in the team's second and final indoor meet of the winter.
 
Junior CJ Benincasa broke the Bard school record in the shot put, topping former teammate Robert Konefal's two-year old mark in the event. In his first meet of the season, Benincasa threw nearly a meter farther than his personal best, with a mark of 11.22m.
 
Senior Winston Cheney continued his strong early-season performance in the 200m and 400m, as well as anchoring the winning 4x400 team along with freshmen Brent Smith and Luca Tagliati, and sophomore Azal Kassem. The relay ran a 3:52, led by Smith's opening leg of 54.20.
 
Smith, Tagliati, and junior Rainer Turim all participated in the mile, with Smith pacing the group with a 4:53, Tagliati following at 5:17, and Turim crossing the line at 5:49. In the 800m run, Kassem ran within a second of his PR at 2:20.22, but his 4x400 leg of 58 seconds showed that he will continue to improve at the longer distance.
 
Freshman Quincy Ross was the lone jumper on the men's side for the Raptors, improving on the mark set last month at the Armory despite limited practice so far this winter.
 
The meet marked the end of the inaugural indoor track season for Bard, and the team will next compete at the end of March in the first meet of the outdoor season.