Fitchburg State Track Opens At UMass Boston
BOSTON, Mass. – The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams opened their 2015-16 campaigns today as they competed at the 4th annual UMass Boston Indoor Track and Field Open at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston.
Sattiewhite sets new school record in the high jump with ECAC qualifying mark of 2.09m to earn top honors; Steele qualifies for NE DIII's in shot put with sixth place toss of 11.49m
BOSTON, Mass. – The Fitchburg State men's and women's indoor track and field teams opened their 2015-16 campaigns today as they competed at the 4th annual UMass Boston Indoor Track and Field Open at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston.
The Falcons men's team had a successful start to the 2015 season as sophomore Ben Sattiewhite qualified for four post-season honors in the high jump as Sattiewhite notched MASCAC, DIII NE, ECAC and All-NE qualifying marks to place first overall with a new school record jump of 2.09 meters as well as NCAA DIII qualifier by taking top honors.
Senior Akhiel Willis was also strong for the Green and Gold, placing eighth overall in the triple jump with a MASCAC and DIII NE qualifying mark of 13.10 meters as well as collecting a MASCAC qualifying mark of 5.76m in the long jump.
On the track, sophomore Jake Hastings (2nd), freshmen Anthony Darrigo and Joseph Darrigo and senior Timothy Allen posted MASCAC qualifying time of 8:57.76, 9:26.57, 9:41.03 and 9:46.90 in the 3000m, while junior Brandon Hannon turned in a MASCAC qualifying time of 17:41.57 in the 5000 meter.
In the 400m, newcomer Austin Landress (54.19), senior Jaime Rullo (55.90) and classmate Brandon Brideau (55.94) posted post-season qualifying times, while sophomores Brian Amaral (7th) and Liam Eble turned in MASCAC qualifying times of 4:36.13 and 4:53.96 in the mile.
Freshman Cameron Stalter was also solid in the 60 meter hurdler, placing fourth overall with a post-season qualifying time of 8.94 seconds, while senior Richard Ethier, IV notched a MASCAC qualifying time of 2:05.31 in the 800 meter.
Senior Javier Lozada posted a MASCAC qualifying time of 7.40 seconds in the 60 meter dash, the 4x400 meter relay team of junior Nicholas Levenson, classmate Chauncey Beatty, Rullo, and Landress placed fifth overall with a post-season qualifying time of 3:37.41. Beatty also turned in a fourth place finish in the 800m with a MASCAC qualifying time of 1:58 at the 2015 Boston University Opener at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center.
In the field, sophomore Chavinskee Milcent turned in a MASCAC and DIII NE qualifying mark of 1.95 meters in the high jump with a fifth place effort, while in the weight toss, Milcent (5.91m), senior Daniel Rymer (10.81m) and sophomore Joseph Bernardini (9.56m) posted MASCAC qualifying marks to round out the top Falcon efforts for the men on the afternoon.
Junior Morgan Steele led the way for the women's squad, placing sixth overall in shot put with a MASCAC and DIII NE qualifying toss of 11.49m, while also posting a MASCAC qualifying throw of 13.14m with a second place effort in the weight throw. Junior Sadie Zbikowski and junior Michaella Vecchiarelli were solid of the Falcons, placing fifth and eighth in the pole vault with post-season qualifying marks of 2.75 meters and 2.45 meters respectively.
The ladies were just as strong on the track as sophomore Alyssa Cardosa placed third overall in the 1000 meter with time of 3:50.82., while sophomore Annie Woolley and newcomer Molly Atkinson posted MASCAC qualifying times of 9.90 and 11/29 seconds in the 60m hurdles.
In the mile, sophomores Nicole Gaffney (7th), Shawna Ryan (16th) and Cassie Lavallee (21st) turned in MASCAC qualifying times of 5:35.82, 6:09.35 and 6:34.54 respectively, while senior Jessica Mangan notched a 12th place effort in the mile with a post-season qualifying time of 21:27.35.
Sophomore Casey Taylor placed tenth overall in the 3000 meter with a MASCAC qualifying time of 12:11.87, while in the 400m, sophomore Holly Sessler (67.75) and newcomer Olivia Milsted (70.15) qualified for MASCAC's.
In the field, Atkinson rounded out the top Falcons efforts, notching a pair of MASCAC qualifying marks in the long jump (4.58m) and the shot put (9.50m).
The Fitchburg State men's and women's track and field teams will be back in action next weekend as they compete at the 2015 Jay Casella Invitational hosted by Northeastern University at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center on Saturday at 10 a.m.