Fitchburg State Competes at Tufts Invitational

De La Rosa earns MASCAC honors with two first place performances

MEDFORD, Mass. (February 3, 2009) - The Fitchburg State men's and women's indoor track teams participated at the Tufts Winter Invitational #2 this past weekend. The men's teams finished fifth overall with a score of 92 points, while the women collected with a ninth place finish.

Sophomore Carlos De La Rosa (Holyoke, Mass./Holyoke) led the Fitchburg State men's team, earning his first MASCAC Runner of the Week honor of the season. De La Rosa captured two first place finishes, both in the 200 meter run (23.18) and the 4x200 meter relay (1.34.15).

The four-man relay team of De La Rosa, junior Devon Jennings (Boston, Mass./Brockton), sophomore Kyle Callahan (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) and senior Peter Tervo (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) qualified for the New England and ECAC Championships as it posted another Fitchburg State program record with a time of 1.34.15.

Jennings rounded out the Falcons top runners at the Invitational, posting a time of 6.648 in the 55 meter run. The junior sprinter placed second in the event and was only .004 seconds away from first place recipient, Matt Whitman of WPI.

In the field events, sophomore Alex LeBlanc (Ashburnham, Mass./Oakmont) placed second in the pole vault with a vault of 14'-9", while junior Brandon Jean (Dunstable, Mass./Dunstable) placed third in the shot put with a throw of 44'-6.25". Jean's throw also qualified him for the Division III New England Championships.

On the women's side, sophomore Erin Abbott (Warwick, Mass./Pioneer Valley) led Fitchburg State, finishing third overall in the high-jump with a mark of 4'-11". Freshman Kat Marrone (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Central) was also solid for the women, placing sixth individually in the triple jump with a mark of 30'-5". 

Fitchburg State will be in action again next Saturday as it participates in the Smith Invitational at 11 a.m.