Rutgers-Camden Athletics

Pensa Johnson sets Raptor record while winning discus throw at Stockton

3/21/2026 9:54:00 PM

GALLOWAY, N.J. (March 21, 2026) – Freshman Asha Pensa Johnson set a Rutgers University-Camden program record while finishing first in the women's discus competition as the Scarlet Raptors completed their competition at the season-opening two-day Stockton Invitational here on Saturday.
 
Pensa Johnson recorded a discus throw of 39.84 to win the 41-athlete competition and break the Scarlet Raptors' mark of 37.81 meters, set by Alexis Marini on April 21, 2023, at the Widener Invitational. Senior Kayla Franklin finished 13th in the event (30.53 meters), freshman Arianna Lalli was 31st (23.82 meters) and junior Mya Cabanas Montero placed 38th (17.78 meters)
 
Junior Jacob Dinerman also finished first in his event, pacing a field of 42 runners in the men's 1,500-meter race in a time of 4:07.39. Freshman Dylan Davies finished 20th (4:33.71 and junior Angel Chaj was 41st (5:27.41).
 
The Raptors also set records in a new and unique event, with quartets of throwers competing in a 4x100 relay. The women placed fourth of seven teams in a time of 1:02.74, while the men were fourth of five teams in 53.19. Running for the women were Cabanas Montero, Lalli, Franklin and Pensa Johnson. The men's team was comprised of freshmen Monroe Hall and Muhammad Elijah Samad-Muhammad, sophomore Emmanuel Richardson and junior Dyheim Watson.
 
Freshman Eric Lei finished 36th of 62 in the men's 100-meter dash (12.12), while freshman Oluwatobi Popoola led the Scarlet Raptors in the 200-meter dash, finishing 20th of 67 (23:45). Sophomore David Machado was 21st at 200 meters (23.58) and Lei was 40th (24.38).
 
In the 40-man field of the men's 400-meter dash, Popoola and freshman Joseph Simone finished eighth and 24th, respectively, in times of 52.65 and 54.65.
 
Sophomore Kristopher Ewell placed 11th of 41 in the men's 800-meter event, while freshman Talia Thomasson was 10th of 33 in the women's 800 (2:39.12). Thomasson also finished fourth of seven in the women's 100-meter hurdles (17.50), while senior Jamir Driggins placed seventh of 17 in the men's 110-meter hurdles (16.16) and eighth of 15 in the 400-meter hurdles (1:04.25).
 
In the men's 110-meter hurdles, senior Jamir Driggins finished seventh of 17 athletes (16.16), while freshman Talia Thomasson was fourth of seven athletes in the women's 100-meter hurdles (17.50). Thomasson also finished 10th of 33 athletes in the women's 800 meters (2:39.12), while Driggins was eighth of 15 in the men's 400 intermediate hurdles (1:04.25).
 
The 38-man field of the men's long jump saw freshmen Justin Harms and Jonathan Hines place 17th and 28th, respectively, with distances of 5.87 and 5.30 meters.
 
In the men's discus, Watson finished seventh of 45 athletes (36.74 meters), Samad-Muhammad was 34th (24.56 meters) and Hall was 38th (22.43 meters).
 
Franklin finished 13th of 29 and Cabanas Montero was 17th in the women's javelin with throws of 30.39 meters and 25.28 meters, respectively. On the men's side, junior Aaron Le placed 16th of 35 in the javelin (41.91 meters) and Harms finished 18th (38.90 meters).
 
The Scarlet Raptors had plenty of competitors in the shot put, with three women in the 36-athlete field. Franklin placed eighth (10.44 meters), Pensa Johnson was ninth (10.40 meters) and Thomasson was 36th (5.79 meters). On the men's side, Watson was 22nd of 47 in the shot put (11.73 meters), freshman Michael Hawkins was 36th (9.92 meters), Samad-Muhammad finished 37th (9.79 meters) and Richardson placed 39th (9.70 meters).
 
Sophomore Lian Thang finished second out of 13 athletes in the men's pole vault (4.00 meters).
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action at the two-day Danny Curran Invitational, held at Widener University, on Friday and Saturday. Friday's events will feature the shot put, discus, triple jump, 5K and 10K, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
 
Stockton Invitational                                                                   Rutgers-Camden Records Rutgers-Camden Winners
* Men's 1,500 M, Jacob Dinerman, 4:07.39
* Women's Discus, Asha Pensa Johnson, 39.84 meters