MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Franklin & Marshall men's track & field team began its outdoor season at the Myrtle Beach College Challenge over the weekend. The Diplomats competed against school across all levels of the NCAA, with the meet being highlighted by returning All-American Justin Kolpan breaking his own school record in the javelin.

After placing ninth at the NCAA Championships as a first-year, Kolpan unleashed the second-best throw in the early portion of the Division III season with a mark of 61.61 meters, breaking his previous record of 61.04 meters. F&M's school record holder in the hammer throw, Will Bramley, put up the fourth-best mark in Division III with a distance of 51.65 meters.

Dustin Stoetzel was the second F&M finisher in both the hammer (42.17m) and javelin (45.43m), with his new personal best in the hammer throw ranking seventh in school history. Laurence Miller led the team in both the shot put (11.22m) and discus (33.67m) events, earning top 50 finishes in both.

Owen McCann registered the third-fastest 3,000 meter race in school history (8:55.13), earning a top 10 individual finish in that event. Elliott Coulter was the top sprinter for the Diplomats as he recorded the 20th-best time in Division III this season for the 100 meters with a time of 11.03 seconds. Tommy Tapino (4:23.85) and Holden Brown (4:24.04) earned 16th and 17th place showings in the 1,500 meters, while Alex Miller was 16th in the steeplechase with a time of 10:28.30.

The outdoor track & field season continues next weekend with the Little Three Meet as the hammer throw will be held at Gettysburg on Saturday, March 22 before the remainder of the events will be held at Dickinson on Sunday, March 23.