Lehigh Falls to Lafayette in Highly Contested Dual
Lehigh went head to head against Lafayette in The Rivalry. The Mountain Hawks won nine events, but fell 103-100.
Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh Falls to Lafayette in Highly Contested Dual
5/2/2026 7:11:00 PM | Men's Track and Field
EASTON, Pa. - Lehigh went head to head against Lafayette in The Rivalry. The Mountain Hawks won nine events, but fell 103-100.
"It was a close finish," said Head Coach Khayla Atte. "I have talked to them about how it's exciting to be a great competitor, and if you put your best out every day, sometimes you best wins and sometimes your best is not good enough. But if you put your best out, you get back up and just do it again.
Lehigh swept the 3000 meter steeplechase to start the meet. Adam Barbato won the event, crossing the line at 9:11.00. Henry Burd and Connor Malinger took the next two spots, both in personal record time. Burd lowered his personal record by 10 seconds down to 9:14.77 as the runner-up. Malinger shaved two seconds off of his personal best, running 9:18.71 to finish third.
The distance success continued into the middle distance events, as Lehigh took the top two 800 meter spots and won the 1500 meter run. Alex Heidemann won the 800, dropping the field with 100 to go to win in 1:50.88. Aidan LaTourette beat a Lafayette runner at the line, crossing in a personal record 1:51.74. Dan Malatesta took the win in the 1500 meter race, running a season's best 3:52.64. Ian Zalewski ran a season's best to place third, crossing the line at 3:55.34.
Lehigh won all three jumping events. Jaden Ferguson won the long jump, jumping a season's best 7.14 meters. Konstantinos Panagopoulos placed third, jumping 6.61m. Ferguson also won the high jump, clearing the 2.07 meter bar for the first time ever. That mark improved on his seventh all-time mark by one centimeter. Nic Rossi was the runner-up in the event, jumping 1.97 meters. Daniel Givens took the triple jump win, leaping 14.01 meters. Panagopoulos was the runner-up, jumping a personal record 13.95 meters.
The Mountain Hawks won two throwing events. Wil Jaques won the javelin throw, launching the spear 62.46 meters to score five points for Lehigh. Joseph Nowakowski won the shot put, throwing an outdoor personal record of 16.57 meters. The senior jumped in fifth on Lehigh's all-time outdoor performance list. Nowakowski also threw a 3.19-meter personal best to place fourth in the hammer throw with a 50.03 meter mark. Christian Saparata took second in the hammer, tossing the weight 53.18 meters. Adam Klinge was Lehigh's best discus thrower, as he threw 39.40 to place third.
Ryan Baker won the 5000 meter run, separating himself with 800 meters to go to win the race in 14:59.52. Charlie Butler finished third after passing a Lafayette runner in the final lap, crossing the line at 15:07.66.
Nathan Oliphant was the runner-up in the 110 meter hurdles. The sophomore ran 14.96. Aiden DiBuono scored two points as Lehigh's top 400 meter hurdle runner. He placed fourth, running a season's best time of 55.62.
Eddie Moore set a personal record to finish as the runner-up in the 100 meter dash. The junior ran 10.68, improving his third place all-time mark. Cole Swick ran a personal best in the 200 meter dash to finish third. The first-year lowered his record by .03 seconds, improving his sixth all-time mark. Lehigh placed second in the 4x100 meter relay. Ferguson, Moore, Swick, and DiBuono ran 41.93.
Lehigh won the 4x400 meter relay in exciting fashion. The two teams' scores were deadlocked going into the final track event, and both teams went back-and-forth the entire way. Alex Heidmann came from behind in the anchor leg and passed the Lafayette runner with 25 meters to go to champion the event, giving Lehigh a two point lead heading into the final event. Heidemann, LaTourette, Swick, and Peter Priestner ran 3:14.84, which was the fourth fastest outdoor time in team history.
Despite a valiant season's best effort from Tyson Utesch's 4.43 jump, Lafayette out-vaulted Lehigh to secure the win.
"Today just wasn't enough," said Atte. "But there were some top 10 marks and PB's today, so people showed up. Laf was a better competitor today, I will die on the hill that says Lehigh's still a better team."
Lehigh's final team competition will be the Patriot League Championships. They will be hosted by Navy in Annapolis, Md. on May 15-16.
"It was a close finish," said Head Coach Khayla Atte. "I have talked to them about how it's exciting to be a great competitor, and if you put your best out every day, sometimes you best wins and sometimes your best is not good enough. But if you put your best out, you get back up and just do it again.
Lehigh swept the 3000 meter steeplechase to start the meet. Adam Barbato won the event, crossing the line at 9:11.00. Henry Burd and Connor Malinger took the next two spots, both in personal record time. Burd lowered his personal record by 10 seconds down to 9:14.77 as the runner-up. Malinger shaved two seconds off of his personal best, running 9:18.71 to finish third.
The distance success continued into the middle distance events, as Lehigh took the top two 800 meter spots and won the 1500 meter run. Alex Heidemann won the 800, dropping the field with 100 to go to win in 1:50.88. Aidan LaTourette beat a Lafayette runner at the line, crossing in a personal record 1:51.74. Dan Malatesta took the win in the 1500 meter race, running a season's best 3:52.64. Ian Zalewski ran a season's best to place third, crossing the line at 3:55.34.
Lehigh won all three jumping events. Jaden Ferguson won the long jump, jumping a season's best 7.14 meters. Konstantinos Panagopoulos placed third, jumping 6.61m. Ferguson also won the high jump, clearing the 2.07 meter bar for the first time ever. That mark improved on his seventh all-time mark by one centimeter. Nic Rossi was the runner-up in the event, jumping 1.97 meters. Daniel Givens took the triple jump win, leaping 14.01 meters. Panagopoulos was the runner-up, jumping a personal record 13.95 meters.
The Mountain Hawks won two throwing events. Wil Jaques won the javelin throw, launching the spear 62.46 meters to score five points for Lehigh. Joseph Nowakowski won the shot put, throwing an outdoor personal record of 16.57 meters. The senior jumped in fifth on Lehigh's all-time outdoor performance list. Nowakowski also threw a 3.19-meter personal best to place fourth in the hammer throw with a 50.03 meter mark. Christian Saparata took second in the hammer, tossing the weight 53.18 meters. Adam Klinge was Lehigh's best discus thrower, as he threw 39.40 to place third.
Ryan Baker won the 5000 meter run, separating himself with 800 meters to go to win the race in 14:59.52. Charlie Butler finished third after passing a Lafayette runner in the final lap, crossing the line at 15:07.66.
Nathan Oliphant was the runner-up in the 110 meter hurdles. The sophomore ran 14.96. Aiden DiBuono scored two points as Lehigh's top 400 meter hurdle runner. He placed fourth, running a season's best time of 55.62.
Eddie Moore set a personal record to finish as the runner-up in the 100 meter dash. The junior ran 10.68, improving his third place all-time mark. Cole Swick ran a personal best in the 200 meter dash to finish third. The first-year lowered his record by .03 seconds, improving his sixth all-time mark. Lehigh placed second in the 4x100 meter relay. Ferguson, Moore, Swick, and DiBuono ran 41.93.
Lehigh won the 4x400 meter relay in exciting fashion. The two teams' scores were deadlocked going into the final track event, and both teams went back-and-forth the entire way. Alex Heidmann came from behind in the anchor leg and passed the Lafayette runner with 25 meters to go to champion the event, giving Lehigh a two point lead heading into the final event. Heidemann, LaTourette, Swick, and Peter Priestner ran 3:14.84, which was the fourth fastest outdoor time in team history.
Despite a valiant season's best effort from Tyson Utesch's 4.43 jump, Lafayette out-vaulted Lehigh to secure the win.
"Today just wasn't enough," said Atte. "But there were some top 10 marks and PB's today, so people showed up. Laf was a better competitor today, I will die on the hill that says Lehigh's still a better team."
Lehigh's final team competition will be the Patriot League Championships. They will be hosted by Navy in Annapolis, Md. on May 15-16.
Players Mentioned
2026 Convocation Awards Ceremony
Thursday, May 07
2025-2026 Top Moments
Thursday, May 07
2026 Talk with a Hawk
Wednesday, May 06
2026 Student-Athlete Superlatives
Wednesday, May 06