Freshmen Michael Couch and Idris Payne and junior Vincent Tortorella each won individual events to help lead the Northeastern University men's team to its third-straight America East Championship at the Boston Armory. Boston University senior Kathryn Ireland won two events to lead the Terrier women to their third title in four years and seventh in the 13-year history of the event.
The Northeastern men received a challenge from America East newcomer University at Albany, but pulled away with a 142-127 advantage over the second-place Great Danes. Boston University was third with 79 points, followed by University of New Hampshire (68), University of Maine (58), Stony Brook University (38), Binghamton University (26), University of Vermont (16) and University of Hartford (4).
On the women's side, the Terriers compiled 139 points, followed by Northeastern (111.50), Binghamton (62) and New Hampshire (60). Maine was fifth with 57 points, followed by defending champion Vermont (48), Stony Brook (45), Albany (35.50) and Hartford (0).
Couch won the pole vault at 4.56 meters. Sophomore teammate Ryan Cahill was second (4.41) and freshman Brian Stieg was fourth as the Huskies picked up 21 points in that event alone. Payne won the 400 meters in a time of 48.47 while Tortorella, who was named the Men's Most Outstanding Field Performer, won the weight throw with a toss of 19.99 meters.
Vermont senior Jeff Guilmette won his fourth indoor shot put title with a distance of 16.45 meters.
Boston University sophomore Jochen Dieckfoss, who won both the mile (4:09.23) and the 3,000 meters (8:31.15), was named the Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer.
On the women's side, Ireland won both the mile (4:51.43) and the 3,000 meters (9:53.35) to earn Most Outstanding Track Performer honors. The Terriers dominated the distance events as senior Jennifer Kehoe won the 1,000 meters (2:53.26) and finished second to Ireland in the 3,000 meters (9:55.89) and the mile (4:51.62). The Terriers also finished second and third in the 5,000 meters behind senior Jenny Payne of Stony Brook. Payne ran 17:25.47 followed by senior Lauren Matthews (17:39.40) and junior Bolpar Vinh (17:39.40). The Terriers also received individual championships from junior Lauren Warman, who won the 400 meters in 56.00, and junior Andrea Stuermer, who won the pole vault at 3.74 meters.
Sophomore Ahndraea Allen of Northeastern set an America East record in the 200 meters when she ran 24.69, breaking the old mark of 24.84 set by Joanna Russell of Northeastern in 1996. Allen and junior teammate Ebony Jack went 1-2 in both the 200 meters (Jack, 25.30) and the 55 meters (Jack, 7.01; Allen, 7.14).
Junior Corinne Leake of Stony Brook set the America East record in the 500 meters with a time of 1:14.86. The old mark of 1:15.18 was held by Amy Dwire of Vermont since 1992.
Maine junior Viktoriya Rybalko was named the Women's Most Outstanding Field Performer after winning the long jump (6.07 meters) and the triple jump (12.80 meters). She edged sophomore Kristal Kostiew of Vermont in the voting conducted by the coaches. Kostiew won both the shot put (13.71 meters) and the weight throw (15.95 meters).
The men's track coaching staff of Northeastern, led by head coach Sherman Hart, was named the Men's Outstanding Staff in voting conducted by the coaches. Lesley Lehane and her Boston University staff won the same honor on the women's side.
2002 Men's Indoor Track Championship Results
2002 Women's Indoor Track Championship Results