Princeton, NJ – The Monroe University men's outdoor track and field team closed out the regular season at the Larry Ellis Invitational this weekend. Sophomore Dwayne Fleming secured a spot at nationals with his day two performance in the 200m.
 
The Antigua and Barbuda native placed second overall and ran personal-best time of 21.14 to punch his ticket to Hutchinson, KS. Freshman Cleon Joseph joined Fleming in the event, finishing eighth overall with a season-best time of 21.81.
 
Sophomores Tinashe Bure and Banele Mkabela highlighted a strong first day of competition for Monroe. Bure ran a personal-best time of 1:50.98 in the elite section of the 800m, improving his national ranking in the event.. Mkabela ran in the steeplechase, clocking in at 9:19.79, a personal-best time that also improved his national ranking in the event.
 
Bure also turned around to race in the 1500m on day two, clocking in at 3:58.81.
 
Sophomore Siyabonga Mbatha also ran in the 1500m, achieving an outdoor personal-best of 3:59.83, just under one second from national qualification standards. He later ran in the 800m and ran a time of 1:59.05. Freshman Nkanyezi Ziqubu ran a time of 4:13.51 in the 1500m.
 
Four Mustangs were featured in the 400m, with freshman Modou Sanneh placing sixth overall in the event with a time of 47.82. Fleming (49.18), Joseph (49.29) and freshman Micah McHardy (56.81) rounded out the competitors, with Joseph achieving a personal-best time.
 
McHardy also saw a personal-best time secured in the 100m with a time of 12.30.
 
Freshman Anthony Barrett rounded out the Monroe competitors at the Larry Ellis Invitational with a time of 1:10.64 in the 400m hurdles. Barrett actually was tripped up by another athlete in the race before finishing strong.
 
The Mustangs will spend the next week and a half preparing for the NJCAA Outdoor National Championships, which will span from Thursday, May 15, to Saturday, May 17.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE UNIVERSITY
The athletic program at Monroe University encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as the Monroe University marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeUMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (@MonroeMustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).