BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Stuart Gruters continued his late-season surge with another steeplechase title and the 4x400-meter relay climbed higher up the national charts on the TCNJ men's track and field team's first day at the All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference Championship.

Through eight scored events (of 22 total), the Lions accumulated 25 points to tie Carnegie Mellon for the team lead. Rowan was a half-point behind at 24.5, with NJAC counterparts Ramapo (18) and Stockton (17) also in the top-five.

Brett Schuett, Tyler Scott, Jason Engler, and Roman Rychkov took a big step toward potential NCAA qualification with a season-best 3:14.74 in the 4x400-meter relay at Moravian, placing third behind only Ursinus' meet record-breaking mark of 3:13.62 and Ramapo's 3:13.82. The time is eighth-fastest in program history and moves the foursome to 16^th on the NCAA performance list.

Gruters backed up his NJAC title in the steeplechase with a regional crown in the event, lowering his PR from the conference meet by a little more than half a second to 9:10.52. The time, which ranks 18^th in the nation, was just enough to edge Carnegie Mellon's Elijah Sech at 9:10.66.

Chase Miller ended the night with a PR in the 10,000 meters, crossing the line in 32:09.70 to place seventh overall. Miller's time was a career best by more than 30 seconds and moved him just past teammate Michael Bond into eighth in program history.

Justin Gomez cracked the all-time top-10 at TCNJ with a time of 14.93 in the 100-meter dash, a personal best that has him one hundredth of a second behind Thomas Domozych for the Lions' best mark of the season.

Stephen Daramola and Zachary Mackiewicz each placed in the discus. Daramola unleashed a career-best throw of 47.48 meters to take fifth, with Mackiewicz right behind in sixth at 47.45 meters.

Andrew Ellis was 15^th in the javelin (50.57m).