Fitchburg State Hosts Jim Sheehan Meet

Chace qualifies for ECAC’s in the Javelin: Conaty paces men with DIII marks in the pole vault

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 6, 2013) – The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s outdoor track & field teams were in action this afternoon as they hosted the 2013 Jim Sheehan Memorial Meet at Elliot Field.

On the women’s side, junior (Brittany Chace (Foster, R.I./Ponaganset) registered four post-season honors in the javelin. The third-year thrower notched MASCAC, DIII NE, All-NE and ECAC marks in the javelin, placing first overall with a season best toss of 37.29 meters, while sophomore Rebecca McClure (Lyndeborogh, N.H./wilton-Lyndeborough) set a new school record in the pole vault with a height of 3.05 meter, qualifying for a pair of post-season honors in the process.

Senior Chenice Branquinho (East Freetown, Mass./Old Colony Regional) was also solid for the Falcons, recording  a pair of post-season marks in the 10K with a time of 41:44.77 with a second place finish in the event. While classmate Megan Gonzalez (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) posted a pair of fourth place finishes in the shot put (9.70m) and discus (29.91m) to qualify for the MASCAC championships in both events.

On the track, sophomore Rachel Blanchard (Billerica, Mass./Shawsheen Valley), notched a post-season and personal best time of 27.68 in the 200m, while classmate Jenae Harrison (Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington) also qualified for the MASCAC’s in the 200m (9th) with a time of 28.65.

In the 1500 meter run, sophomore Braila Roy (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable) put forth a strong effort with a MASCAC qualifying time of 5:20.47, while freshman Elizabeth Ward (Ashby, Mass./North Middlesex) finished strong in the event with a time of 5:41.89.

The women’s 4x100 meter relay team of sophomores Tashanna Brown (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical) and Arthina Robert (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Voc Tech), McClure and Blanchard placed fourth with a solid time of 52.15, while senior Linda Fortunato (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawam) posted a post-season time of 14:05.44 in the 3000 meter run with a seventh place effort. Robert concluded her day, placing third overall in the 100m dash with a time of 13.28.

In the 800 meter dash, Harrison (4th) and Roy (11th) both qualified for the MASCAC’s with time of 2:27.77 and 2:30.67 respectively, while junior Karollyn Wickless-Adams (Lansdale, Penn./North Penn) posted a season best time of 2:47.54 in the event.

In the field, junior Katelyn Sletterink (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) finished ninth in the hammer throw with a post-season toss of 32.20 meters, while Brown (7th) and sophomore Ebony Schuerman (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) (8th) round out the top Falcons efforts for the women with MASCAC qualifying marks in the high jump ( 1.37m) and long jump (4.37m) respectively.  

For the men, junior Pat Conaty (Southington, Conn./Southington) notched post-season marks in the pole vault (4th) with a height of 4.15 meters, while freshman Ben Bottrell (Medford, Mass.) recorded an outdoor personal best distance of 1.88 meters with a DIII NE qualifying mark in the high jump, while finishing third overall in the event to led the men’s squad.

Freshman Tim Allen (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) (5th) and junior Larry Teague (Tyngsboro, Mass./Greater Lowell) (6th) both posted MASCAC honors in the 10,000 meter run with times of 35:18.18 and 36:27.50 respectively. Junior Tevin Bienaime (Swansea, Mass./Joseph Case) was strong in the 100m, placing eighth with a time of 11.63.

On the track, sophomore Mark Wesgan (Lunenburg, Mass./Lunenburg) and freshman Brandon Brideau (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) finished tenth (19.31) and 11th (19.67) respectively in the 110 meter hurdles to qualify for the MASCAC’s, while  sophomore Maximin Rocheleau (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) (53.15)and senior Josh Kaddy (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont) (4.09) registered post-season times in the 400m dash.

In the 400m hurdles, sophomore Ethan Gorecki (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) ran a 1:01.69 to qualify for the MASCAC’s with a ninth place effort, while senior Michael Grasela (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) posted post-season honors in the 1500m with a time of 4:32.29.

The men’s 4x800 meter relay team of freshman Daniel Fitzpatrick (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) and freshman Jamie Rullo (Carver, Mass./Carver), Daniel Manning (Dorchester, Mass./BC Charter School) and Allen qualified for the DIII NE’s with a time of 10:09.81, while the 4x100 meter team of freshman Akhiel Willis (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough), Bienaime, and sophomore Trayvon Neal (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) and Elizear Torres (Bronx, N.Y./South Bronx) ran strong with time of 46.31 to finish 4th overall.

In the field, Gorecki placed tenth in the javelin with a throw of 44.98 meters to qualify for the MASCAC’s, while Willis posted post-season honors in the triple jump (4th) with mark of 12.16 meters. Rocheleau wrapped up his afternoon with a seventh place effort in the long jump (5.74m) to qualify for the MASCAC championships as well.

Senior Zach Desrochers (Dracut, Mass./Greater Lowell) (4th) and sophomore David Oster (Port Monomouth, N.J./Middletown) (9th) rounded out the top men’s performances in the discus and shot put with tosses of 38.31m and 11.82m respectively.

The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s outdoor track & field teams return to action on Saturday as they compete at the 2013 Wildcat invitational host by the University of New Hampshire starting at 11 a.m.