BOSTON, MASS. – The Stony Brook University men's track and field team competed in the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational on Saturday at Boston University.
 
Senior Robert Becker has been breaking records ever since he got to Stony Brook. He took it to the next level by becoming the first student-athlete to run a sub-4-minute mile in program history. Becker clocked in at 3:58.98 in the mile run setting a new personal best and breaking the previous mile record (4:02.45) that was also set by himself in 2020 at the ECAC/IC4A Indoor Championships. Becker's record-breaking time also qualifies the senior for the IC4A Championships.

🚨NEW RECORD ALERT 🚨

Robert Becker is the 1️⃣st student-athlete to run a sub-4 mile in PROGRAM HISTORY ‼️

🌊🐺 x #ncaatf pic.twitter.com/uxeJXItmTH

— Stony Brook XC/TF (@StonyBrookXCTF) February 6, 2022

 
Four additional student-athletes also qualified for the IC4A Championships. Senior Aiden Smyth, junior Shane Henderson, and freshman Eben Bragg all qualified for their performance in the mile run. Senior Colin Ross earned a qualification for his performance in the 3000 meter.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Becker earned a fourth-place finish in the mile with a final time of 3:58.98 and set a new personal best. He became the first student-athlete to run a sub-4-minute mile in program history. Becker also qualified for the IC4A Championships.
• Smyth finished with a final time of 4:06.28 which was good for a 15^th place finish. Henderson and Bragg rounded out the mile run for the Seawolves finishing with final times of 4:08.33 and 4:12.90, respectively. All three student-athletes set new personal bests in the mile and qualified for the IC4A Championships.
• Ross crossed the line in 8:14.09 securing a 14^th place finish and a new personal best in the 3000 meter. He also qualified for the IC4A Championships.
• Aleksandar Zdravkovic clocked in at 49.05 in the 400 meter to earn a seventh-place finish.
• Richmond Boateng finished with a final time of 22.28 to secure a new personal best in the 200 meter.
• Timothy Weber recorded a new personal best in the 1000 meter with a final time of 2:30.39, beating his previous best of 2:38.54.

 QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"Robert Becker made history today at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational by becoming the first Stony Brook student-athlete to break the 4-minute mile. Rob ran 3:58.98 to achieve this great moment in his career. It is truly a landmark performance, one that many chase but never attain – Rob has joined an exclusive club. There were many super performances today, career bests, and IC4A/ECAC qualifiers were the nature of the day.
 
Considering the news that we received earlier this week about being ineligible for the conference championships, we had a great meet. This group of athletes pulled themselves
together, got focused, and showed the kind of quality performances that could have been on display at the conference championship meet," said head coach Andrew Ronan.
 
UP NEXT
The Seawolves are back in action on Friday, February 11, at 2 p.m. when they compete in the Fast Track National Invite at Staten Island, N.Y.