STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.—In its first of three trips to the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Athletic Complex this season, Villanova had a contingent of eight athletes competing in the Gotham Cup on Friday afternoon.  The group combined for three personal bests in the field events during the meet. 
 
Sophomore thrower Billy Loewen (Sparta, N.J.) and junior Chika Nwachukwu (Lawrence, N.J.) each eclipsed their previous top marks in the weight throw which had only been established in the season opener at Navy last week.  Loewen threw for a distance of 13.61 meters, while Nwachukwu measured a distance of 12.08 meters.  The top finisher in the weight throw for the Wildcats was junior Jadyn Anczarski (Ringtown, Pa.), who came in 18^th out of more than 50 competitors with a throw of 14.06 meters. 
 
Nwachukwu and Loewen also competed in the shot put at Friday afternoon's meet.  Senior Henry Sise (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) led Villanova with a ninth place finish out of 71 entries.  He threw for a mark of 14.21 meters, while Nwachukwu came in 18^th with a throw of 13.16 meters and Loewen was 20^th after a measurement of 12.89 meters. 
 
Freshman pole vaulter Jim Keys (Herndon, Va.) made his collegiate debut and cleared the bar at a height of 4.50 meters to easily surpass the height of 4.27 meters he had recorded as a scholastic athlete.  Junior Thomas Conboy (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) came in third in the pole vault with a height of 4.65 meters, while Keys was right behind him in fourth place. 
 
Freshman Trevor Potts (Sparta, N.J.) and sophomore Jacob Bonanotte (Barrington, Ill.) each ran in the 800 meters.  Potts placed sixth out of 67 runners and crossed the finish line in 1:57.66, while Bonanotte came in eighth overall with a time of 1:58.43. 
 
Next up for the Wildcats is the Columbia Challenge next Friday and Saturday at New York Armory.