MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships
Rider Men 2nd , Women 4th
NEW YORK, NY-The Rider men placed second and the Rider women placed fourth at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, held Friday night at the New Balance Track & Field Center in the 168th Street Armory.
The men also placed runner-up last winter, but after winning the MAAC Outdoor title last spring the Broncs set their goal a bit higher this winter. "The men's goal was to win this and I really felt this was our year," said Rider head coach Bob Hamer. "We just didn't have our "A" game today and Manhattan did."
For the Rider men junior David Hightower (Easton, Pa./Easton) won the 60m hurdles in a MAAC record time of 8.31, placed sixth in the 200m (22.58) and placed seventh in the 60m dash (7.16). "David did a great job," Hamer said.
For the Rider women sophomore Lauryn Strebeck (Dayton, OH/South Brunswick) won the triple jump (37'4.5") and placed eighth in the 60m hurdles (9.52). "That was fantastic for Lauryn to win," Hamer said. "She was really nervous going in as the top seed and she won the event on her last jump. I was really impressed with her. It was a great meet for her."
Junior Mia Riley (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) placed second in the 60m dash (7.757) and fifth in the 200m (25.43). "I felt bad for Mia," Hamer said. "She stumbled a bit coming out of the blocks and that is why she finished second in a photo finish." In the trails Riley finished in 7.74, a new Rider record.
Also for the Rider men junior James Burroughs (West Orange) placed second in the 60m hurdles (8.44) and eighth in the 200m (22.69), sophomore Steven Brown (Penns Grove) placed second in the triple jump (49'1.5") and third in the long jump (23'2.5"). "Burroughs did a great job," Hamer said. "Sweeping the hurdles gave us some momentum. Steve was a little disappointed that he placed second, he got passed in the final jump."
Sophomore Matthew Millemann (Hillsborough) placed third in the 60m hurdles (8.46), junior Dave Brown (Ewing) placed third in the 400m (49.73), junior Greg Wesh (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) placed third in the 800m with an IC4A time of 1:53.12, freshman George Solujich (East Windsor, NJ/Notre Dame) placed third in the shot put with a Rider record and an IC4A qualifying distance of 52'6" and freshman Jonathan Galya (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Twp.) placed third in the high jump (6'8.25").
The men's distance medley relay of Zayer, freshman Michael Breen (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan), Carlin and Wesh finished second (10:22.17).
The 4 x 400 relay of Baptiste, Burroughs, Hightower and D. Brown placed third (3:20.70).
Also for the Rider women sophomore Rhea Phipps (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) placed third in the wt. throw (53'7.75") and third in the shot put (39'7.75"). The Rider 4 x 400 relay of Riley, Hunter, junior Jordyn Horning (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley) and Findley placed third (3:56.50).
The Rider distance medley relay team of Shutt, junior Lauren Findley (Hallstead, Pa./Blue Ridge), Giovagnoli and senior Laura Staples (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) placed third (12:18.17).
Junior Megan Elgin (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) placed fourth in the 5,000m with a Rider record time of 17:41.70, senior Heather Giovagnoli (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford) placed fourth in the mile with a Rider record and an ECAC qualifying time of 4:58.22 and was fourth in the 800m (2:17.87).
For the men junior Perry Asare (Lindenwood) placed fourth in the triple jump (46'3.5") and fourth in the long jump (22'9"), senior Ron Moore (Nashville, Tenn./John Overton) placed fourth in the 60m hurdles (8.54) and eighth in the 400m (50.86), grad student Michael Soroko (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) placed fourth in the mile with an IC4A time of 4:12.24, and junior Sean McCullough (Plymouth Meeting, Pa/La Salle) placed fourth in the 5,000m (14:50.67).
Freshman Anthony DeFranco (Berkeley Heights, NJ/Gov. Livingston) placed fifth in the pole vault (13'9.25"), sophomore Joseph Carlin (Staten Island, N.Y./McKee) placed fifth in the 800m (1:54.92), freshman Nasser Zayer (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) placed fifth in the mile (4:15.12),sophomore Wilvenson Baptiste (Irvington) placed fifth in the 400m (49.92), junior Sean Donohue (Cliffwood Beach/Matawan) placed fifth in the 5,000m (14:51.71) and junior Jorge Merino (Old Bridge) placed fifth in the shot put (51').
Junior Erin Fitzgibbons (Sayreville) placed fifth in the 3,000m (10:25.33), sophomore Treasure Burke (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) placed fifth in the wt. throw with an ECAC distance of 52'6.75", freshman Nitessa Brooks (Somerset, NJ/Franklin) placed sixth in the shot put (38'3.5"), freshman Emily Ritter (Millsboro, DE/Sussex Tech) placed sixth in the 3,000m (10:27.89), junior Ashley Hunter (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) placed sixth in the 400m (58.60), junior Jillian Shutt (Lawrenceville, Pa./Williamson) placed sixth in the mile (5:13.27),sophomore Quintin Robin (Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks East) placed sixth in the pole vault (13'3.5").
Freshman Anthony Dentino (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp) placed sixth in the 5,000m (14:57.24) and sophomore George Osti (Union) placed sixth in the wt. throw with an IC4A distance of 55'3.75".
Freshman Joe Vicini (Millstone, N.J./Notre Dame) was seventh in the wt. throw (48'7.25"), junior Greg Smith (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley) was fifth in the triple jump (41'10.5") and placed seventh in the long jump (21'1.5").
Freshman Leonora Paul (Hackensack, NJ) placed seventh in the wt. throw (45'4.5"), junior Nicole Tassello (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) placed eighth in the 5,000m (18:27.49) and senior Kelli Kaelin (Little Egg Harbor/Pinelands Regional) placed ninth in the 5,000m (18:41.38).
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