While taking on some of the best competition from all around the world at the Pomona-Pitzer Invite on Saturday, the University of Redlands track & field teams fired off a number of career-best and season-best marks as both the men and women continued to improve heading into the final stretch of the 2014 campaign.

On the women's side, freshman Alison Smith (McKinleyville, CA) ripped off a career-best time in the 200 Meters, crossing the finish line in 26.13 seconds.  While finishing 38th overall, Smith finished as the top Division-III runner in the race.

Fellow freshman Jessika Snincsak (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) registered a career-best time as well, as she recorded a mark of 2:25.96 in the 800 Meters.

The Bulldog 4x100 Relay uncorked another season-best mark for Redlands, as the quartet of freshman Tracy Cresta (Pasadena, CA), freshman Jasmine Ramos (Santa Fe Springs, CA), A. Smith, and freshman Samantha Vigil (Pacifica, CA) combined for a time of 50.46 seconds for 11th overall at the meet.

In the field events, junior Maddie Smith (Hoquiam, WA) cleared an outdoor season-best mark of 5' 5" to tie for fourth overall at the meet, while junior Merritt ten Hope (Phoenix, AZ) notched her season-best mark in the Pole Vault (10' 11 ¾") to tie for 13th overall.

On the men's side, numerous Bulldogs had season-best and career-best performances.

Sophomore Joey Colucci (San Jose, CA) shined for the U of R men in the 100 Meters as he took fourth overall amongst the talented field of competitors with a career-best time of 10.79 seconds.  His impressive mark was also the best Division-III time at the meet.  Junior Taylor Browning (Carbondale, CO) also ran well in the same event, finishing in 22nd with a season-best time of 11.10 seconds.

In the 200 Meters, Colucci registered a tie for 13th (22.33) and finished just in front of freshman teammate Myles Speegle (Castro Valley, CA) who fired off a career-best mark of 22.34 seconds.

Bulldog junior Darren Centi (Auburn, CA) uncorked the best time of his career in the 400 Meters, finishing in sixth place overall with a speedy time of 48.20.  The time also ranks as Redlands' top time in the event this year and ninth-best in the NCAA Division III.

Junior Dominic Lopez (Las Vegas, NV) continued to ride his momentum during his career-best season with the Maroon and Gray, and in the 800 Meters, he registered a career-best time of 1:52.75 to place eighth overall at the meet.

Junior Chris Bolt (Reno, NV) and freshman Abhinav Nagpal (Cypress, CA) performed well for the Bulldogs in the 1500 Meters, and both recorded career-best marks of 4:02.35 and 4:04.83, respectively.  In the 3000 Meter Steeplechase, sophomore Jarron Helbock (San Diego, CA) shined with a career-best mark of 9:57.98.

The 4x100 Relay foursome of Browning, Colucci, Speegle, and senior Darron Usher (Rialto, CA) uncorked an incredible 41.50 seconds for second place at the meet.  That time currently ranks as the sixth-fastest time in the NCAA Division III.  The 4x400 Relay quartet of Browning, Centi, junior Antwain Morgan (Granada Hills, CA), and freshman Auston Tribble (Glenwood Springs, CO) also recorded a second-place finish for Redlands with a mark of 3:17.42 and ranked as the top Division-III time at the meet.

In the field events, senior Jorge Cervantes (Indio, CA) notched a career-best mark in the Shot Put, taking eighth place at the meet with a distance of 46' 11 ¾".  In addition, fellow senior Chris Bode (Elk, WA) recorded season-best marks in the Pole Vault (13' 11 ¼") and the Javelin (175' 11") for seventh and 10th, respectively.

Redlands returns to action on Thursday and Friday for the Mt. SAC Relays, before competing again in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action on Saturday at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges.  Thursday and Friday's events are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday is set to start at 10 a.m.