AZUSA, Calif. - Ellis DelVecchio set a new PR in the 800 meters with a 1:49.16 at the Franson Last Chance Meet hosted by Azusa Pacific on Saturday, and also contributed to a season-best 3:11.15 in the 4x400 relay with Oliver Thompson, Aiden Owens and Jaden Rattay to highlight the performance of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's track and field team. 

DelVecchio eclipsed his previous PR of 1:49.71 set last season, and moves up one spot to second place on the CMS all-time list, behind only Hall of Famer David Juiliano, who ran a 1:48.25 in 2002. DelVecchio now ranks fifth in NCAA Division III this season, putting him in strong position to challenge for All-America honors at the NCAA Championships in two weeks. 

The 4x400 relay team also moved up to fifth in the nation this season with its time of 3:11.15, which ranks third in CMS history as the Stags will try to return to the NCAA podium in that event as well, after just missing by one spot a year ago.

As a freshman, DelVecchio was a part of a national runner-up team in the 4x400 relay with a 3:07.82, which set a program record and ranked as the fourth-best time in NCAA Division III history at the time. Rattay and Owens were part of the second-best time in CMS history last season at 3:09.77. 

CMS still has one more meet scheduled at the Redlands Final Qualifier this week, to try to earn marks to qualify for the NCAA Championships. The top 22 individuals in each event, and the top 16 relays earn qualifications. 

In addition to DelVecchio in the 800 and the 4x400 relay, Kaden Cassidy currently ranks No. 1 in the nation in the hammer throw, with Kavin Prasanna 12th. Rattay ranks 10th in the 400 meters, and Jacob Pippel is 10th in the steeplechase. Jonas Rickert (15th) and Hayden Beauchemin (16th) are both several spots above the cutline in the 1500, as is Pierce Clark (17th) in the 800.