HOUSTON – With the 2016 SWAC Indoor Championship right around the corner, the PVAMU men's track team received strong performances from Quintarius Crenshaw, Brandon Kirby and the mile relay team at the annual Howie Ryan Invitational on Friday.

With 2016 labeled an Olympic year, the team found itself surrounded by an array of runners with the most notable being Jamaican gold medalist Asafa Powell.

Powell shook up the invitational in the 60-meter dash as he set an indoor record at the Howie Ryan Invitational with a time of 6.49. PVAMU freshman Samuel Omoera also competed in the event and advanced to the semifinals with a personal best time of 6.91.

In the high jump, senior Quin-Tarius Crenshaw placed third overall at the invitational with a jump of 6-6.75. Sophomore Brandon Kirby finished fifth out of 37 sprinters in the 400 while the mile relay team (Darwin Allen, Kirby, Logan Williams, David Alexander) placed third with a season-best run. Williams also advanced to the semifinals of the 60-meter dash as ran a season-best 8.32.

The indoor championships begin next Saturday as the Panthers will head to Birmingham, Ala.