Victor, Castaldi Lead Ragin' Cajuns At A-State Invitational

JONESBORO, Ark. – Justin Victor claimed his second individual title in the men's weight throw in as many weeks while Danielle Castaldi earned the individual title in the women's 800-meter run relay to pace the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns track and field team at the A-State Invitational on Friday at the Arkansas State Convocation Center.

Competing in its second meet of the indoor season, the Ragin' Cajuns earned three first-place finishes with the women's distance medley relay team clocking a time of 12 minutes, 30.40 seconds to outdistance second-place Central Arkansas by nearly 10 seconds.

The Cajuns also received five second-place performances, including freshman Dionte Heath, who finished second overall in the men's high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 11.75 inches.

"Dionte (Heath) and Danielle (Castaldi) each had huge breakthrough days for us," head coach Lon Badeaux said. "For just his second collegiate meet, he eclipsed his best (6-6.25) by over five inches. That's pretty unheard of for a young athlete.

"Danielle took over three seconds off her indoor best in the 800 and came close to matching her best that she ran outdoors. Overall, as a team, we had some solid performances from a bunch of athletes. We had a few out there with tired legs, so our training is catching up to us."

Victor, who set the school record last week (64 feet, 5.25 inches) in the season-opening Texas A&M 12-Team Invitational, recorded a throw of 67-4.75 to claim his second overall title.

Matt Rice finished second overall in the men's 800-meter dash (1:57.86) with Jacob Chicola earning a second-place performance in the mile run (4:26.66).

Keygan Keys (400-meter dash, 50.17) and Logan Pearce (5,000-meter run, 15:40.68) each finished third overall for the Ragin' Cajuns with Morgan Cormier (55-meter hurdles, 7.77) and Kenneth Nassar (shot put, 52-1.25).

Castaldi, who also ran the opening leg of the women's distance medley relay team, claimed the 800-meters after she clocked a time of 2:14.53, breaking her previous indoor best (2:17.04) and finishing nearly five seconds ahead of second-place finisher Jordan Chadwick of Central Arkansas.

Senior Morgan Breaux finished second for the Ragin' Cajuns in both the 55-meter dash (7.04) and the 200-meter dash (25.26). Alex Harrell earned a third-place finish in the high jump (5-4.25) with Tarvia Conway (5-2.25) and Lindsey Harmon (5-2.25) finishing fourth and eighth overall.

Sophomore Meredith Driskell (12-0) and Emily Gale (11-6.25) finished 4-5th respectively for the Ragin' Cajuns in the pole vault while Jana Jones was fourth (52-7.25) in the weight throw.

The Ragin' Cajuns will return to action on Friday (Jan. 31) when it travels to Lake Charles to compete in the Jeff Davis Invitational, hosted by McNeese State.