Laura Chmielewski (Monmouth, N.J./South Brunswick/Rutgers) of Northeastern University and Kristal Kostiew (Northwood, N.H./Coe-Brown) of University of Vermont each turned in first-place finishes as they led the America East women’s competitors at the New England Indoor Track and Field Championships at Boston University. Andre Nacaxe (Goiania, Brazil/Missouri Valley College) and Dan Coval (Newton, Pa./Council Rock) of Boston University also garnered first-place honors to lead the America East men.
One week after setting a new America East record in the pole vault (12’ 3.5”), Chmielewski jumped 12’ 9.5” to grab the New England title. Kostiew claimed first in the weight throw with an NCAA provisional qualifying throw of 61’ 5” and she also grabbed second place in the shot put with a toss of 47’ 5.75”. The Northeastern 4x800-meter relay team also earned first-place accolades (9:02.98).
In the men’s events, Nacaxe won the 500 in a time of 1:02.27 and Coval paced all competitors in the 5000 with a time of 14:17.13. The Terriers also claimed second place in the 4x800 relay (7:41.69).
Other top competitors in the women’s field included MaryEllen Bingham (Boston, Mass./Boston Latin) and Marisa Ryan (Farmington, Conn./Carson City) from Boston University who grabbed second-place finishes in the triple jump (39’ 9.25”) and 3000 (9:44.34) respectively. Hana Pelletier (Belgrade, Maine/Messalanskee), who finished second in the 800 (2:15.74), and Rachel McCaslin (Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook), who finished second in the long jump (18’ 1”), led the University of Maine. University of New Hampshire also turned in a pair of second-place finishes as Leighann Carpenter (Princeton, Mass./Wachusett) finished the 400 in 56.41 and Lauren Knight (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable) scored 3403 points in the pentathlon. Anike Orimogonje (Orange, N.J./Queen of Peace) led Hartford with a fourth-place showing in the 200 (25.47).
Leading the New Hampshire men’s competitors were David Ball, who claimed second in the high jump (6’ 9”), and Stephen Meinelt who grabbed a second-place medal in the 3000 (8:16.48). Obaro Emenike (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep), Steve Langton (Melrose, Mass./St. John's) and Derek Anderson (Wrentham, Mass./Xavarian Bros.) each garnered third-place honors for the Northeastern men and Chris Spivey (Hyde Park, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) led the Hartford competitors with a team best fourth-place finish. Leading Maine was the 4x800 relay team, which claimed second with a time of 7:43.10.
America East athletes who qualified will compete in the ECAC/IC4A Championships on March 6 and 7 at Northeastern’s Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston.