BOSTON- The 17th annual America East Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship will be held at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center on the Boston University campus on Friday, February 18 and Saturday, February 19.
The University at Albany, in only its third year as an America East member, picked up its second America East Men's Indoor Track and Field title in 2004. Albany overcame a 14.5-point day one deficit to collect its second title in as many seasons. On the women's side, Northeastern University also claimed its second championship in a row, and seventh overall. The Huskies easily took home the title, collecting 179 total points, 51 ahead of second-place Albany.
Northeastern's Idris Payne, who won and broke his own America East record in the men's 200-meter dash (21.45) and also grabbed first in the 400-meter dash with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 47.21, was named Outstanding Track Performer for the second consecutive season. Rory Quiller of Binghamton was named Outstanding Field Performer after taking first in the men's pole vault and placing third in the heptathlon. Payne, Quiller, along with Albany's Gered Burns and Kamar Elliot, Boston University's Dan Coval, Nick Goodman and Andre Nacaxe, Adam Grossman of UMBC, and Northeastern's Derek Anderson and Peter Jasmin will also look to defend their titles.
On the women's side, Northeastern's Ahndraea Allen won the women's 200-meter dash (24.15), setting a new America East championship record, as well as the 400-meter dash (56.71) and the 55-meter dash (7.06) as she was named the women's Most Outstanding Track Performer for the second time. Also picking up first-place points for the Huskies was Zara Northover who set a new conference record in the shot put (52'9.5), Aquila Williams-Judge who won the 55-meter hurdles (8.00), and Laura Chmielewski, who took first in the pole vault clearing 12'3.5". Allen, Northover, Williams-Judge, Chmielewski and New Hampshire's Megan Hepp, who won both the women's 3,000- and 5000-meter runs, will all look to repeat as individual champions.
The championship begins Friday at 10 a.m. with the men's heptathlon followed by the women’s pentathlon. Other Friday finals for both men and women are the long jump, weight throw, pole vault, 5000-meter run, and the distance medley relay.
Saturday’s events begin at 10 a.m. with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon. Other Saturday finals are: shot put, high jump, triple jump, 1-mile run, 55-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 500-meter dash, 55-meter hurdles, 800-meter run, 1000-meter run, 200-meter dash, 3000-meter run, 4x800-meter relay, and the 4x400-meter relay.
University at Albany, Binghamton University, Boston University, University of Hartford, University of Maine, UMBC, University of New Hampshire, Northeastern University, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont will all compete in the 2005 America East Indoor Track and Field Championship.