Hawks’ Kalnas is all-American following fifth place at NCAAs
Monmouth University
senior breaks his
own shot put mark
Jon Kalnas is traveling where no other Monmouth University track and field athlete has ventured. The senior, from Paulsboro High School, attained all-American recognition for the second straight year at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships, held in Fayetteville, Ark., March 8-10.
Kalnas extended his school record and personal best to 64-6 1/2 (19.67 meters) in placing fifth at the national championships. In scoring four points for the position, Kalnas made Monmouth history by becoming the first track athlete to ever score at an NCAA indoor championship.
Weight thrower Augie Zilincar is the only other Monmouth University, West Long Branch, athlete to compete at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships, in 1968.
Kalnas, who has been on a roll all year, setting and resetting his pb and school record, was ranked ninth entering the competition. In the qualifying round, the senior reached 62-3, which put him in eighth place and advanced him to the final round.
The Hawk putter saved his best for the final round where, on his fifth throw, he moved up to fifth place with his pb 64-6 1/2. At last year’s NCAA championship, he finished 11th and earned all-American honors for the first time.
The fifth place NCAA finish and all-American honors came on the heels of another Monmouth University first by the Hawk strongman. At the IC4A/ECAC Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 3, held in Boston, Kalnas became the first Monmouth athlete to win an IC4A/ECAC championship. Kalnas threw what was then a new pb and school record, 63-4 1/2.
Kalnas and three other Hawks, Kris Landers (800 meters), Ray Speid (400) and Jared Craig (60-meter hurdles), picked up all-East honors. Monmouth’s men had their best performance ever at the meet, picking up 21 points and finishing in 11th place.
Landers set a school record, 1:50.20, in finishing second in the 800. Speid also set a new Monmouth record for the 400 meters with the 48.3 he ran in the qualifying round. He ran 48.87 in the final and placed seventh.
Craig was eighth in the 60-meter hurdles in a new Hawk record, 8.18.
On Saturday, the Hawks will host the Monmouth University outdoor track and field season opener at Kessler Field. It will be the only home meet of the outdoor season for the Hawks.