April 8, 2005

AUSTIN, Texas - The George Mason men's 4x100m relay team ran an NCAA East Regional qualifying time of 40.47 Friday afternoon at the 78th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays held on the campus of the University of Texas. The time highlighted a packed day of competition for the Patriots, whose women's team was also in attendance at the meet.

The 4x100m squad placed sixth in its preliminary heat 4 and posted the 14th best preliminary time overall. Graduate student Mike Garner (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) was once again solid in the 100m dash. He placed second in his preliminary heat (1) with a season-best time of 10.65 and ranked 15th among the other 100m runners.

Mason's 1600 Sprint Medley contingent of seniors Ricardo Melbourne (Spanish Town, Jamaica) and Richard Phillips (St. Catherine, Jamaica), Garner and senior Ricardo Cunningham (Clarendon, Jamaica) recorded the 12th best time in the finals, coming in at 3:22.65.

On the women's side, the 4x100m relay team finished fifth in preliminary heat 3 and 36th overall with an ECAC qualifying time of 47.88. The 4x400m relay squad registered in at 3:56.27 and seventh in preliminary heat 4. The group was 48th overall.

The Patriots' 1600 sprint medley team of freshmen Misti Turner (Fort Worth, Texas) and Fiana York (Havertown, Pa.), senior Paula Bailey (Winston Salem, N.C.) and senior Kathy Williams (Lanham, Md.) was sixth in its heat (1) and ran the 13th fastest time in the finals (4:04.51).

Competition at the Texas Relays concludes Saturday.