BOSTON -- Bates men's indoor track and field junior Ross Tejeda made history at the Valentine Invitational on Friday when he broke the school record in the mile, which had stood for 41 years.

Tejeda (Milton, Mass.) raced to the finish in 4:07.55, breaking the previous Bates indoor record set by James Goodberlet '85 in 1984 of 4:08.00. With his performance, Tejeda ranks 15th in NCAA Division III in the mile this season. 

Senior captain Truman Williams (Montclair, N.J.) also broke a school record on Friday. In his case, it was Williams' own Bates record in the 400 meters, as the talented sprinter won his section and took third place overall with a time of 47.90 seconds, breaking his previous mark of 48.53 seconds. Williams now ranks seventh in NCAA Division III in the 400 this season.

Elsewhere, senior captain Kevin O'Connor (Milford, Mass.) was impressive in the 60-meter dash, winning his heat in 7.04 seconds. He then placed seventh in the final in 7.01 seconds. O'Connor also set a personal record in the 200-meter dash, clocking in at 23.07 seconds.

Senior Cam Stathos (Wellesley, Mass.) set a personal record in the 800 meters with his DIII New Englands qualifying time of 1:55.79, and four other Bobcats joined Tejeda in putting up DIII New England qualifying times in the mile. Sophomore Callahan Porter (Chester, N.J.), first-year Max Hoffman (Wellesley, Mass.), senior Aidan Rooney (Bay Shore, N.Y.), and senior Andrew Mottur (Rumford, R.I.) all not only put up qualifying mile times, they also all set personal records, led by Porter's mark of 4:13.10. 

The men's track and field team will send select athletes to Bowdoin's Lynn Ruddy Invitational and to Tufts University's Stampede Open on Saturday.