CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- University at Albany junior Jean Juste and UMBC junior Alex Hyland received the America East men's and women's Track Performers of the Week after record-setting weeks, while Binghamton University senior Rory Quiller and University of New Hampshire sophomore Rita Ciambra each pole-vaulted themselves to the men's and women's Field Performers of the Week. These awards are for the week ending January 27.
Juste (Hempstead, N.Y./Uniondale) won the 55-meter hurdles in an IC4A-qualifying time of 7.45 seconds at UAlbany's Great Dane Classic on Friday afternoon at the Armory Track & Field Center in New York, N.Y. The time marked the fastest in meet history, as well as in the America East this season, and was just 0.02 seconds shy of breaking the Armory collegiate record.
Hyland (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South/St. Francis (Pa.)) earned the top female track performer for the third-straight week. She finished second at the Penn State National Invitational in the 3000-meter run invitational heat over the weekend. Hyland dropped 12 seconds from her previous best time to set a new UMBC school record with a time of 9:40.42. That time is the best in the conference so far this season and is just 0.20 seconds off the current America East Championship record of 9:40.21 set in 2006 by Boston University's Marisa Ryan.
Quiller (West Point, N.Y./James I. O'Neil) won the pole vault at the Great Dane Classic with a mark of 17-09. The mark was an Armory Collegiate Facility and a meet record, earning him the meet's Most Outstanding Performer honor. Quiller's vault was the second-best in America East this season, only behind his previous mark of 18-00.50.
Ciambra (Hanover, N.H./Hanover) set a new school record in the pole vault at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on January 25 at the Reggie Lewis Center. Ciambra finished in a tie for second place after her jump of 11-09.75 broke her own school record (11-06.25) that she set at the Dartmouth Relays on January 13. With the performance, the sophomore becomes an ECAC qualifier and the holder of the top mark in the conference.
Team by Team Results
Albany Great Danes
University at Albany’s Michael McCadney tied his own school record in winning the triple jump to lead his team to the men’s title at the sixth annual Great Dane Classic at the Armory Track & Field Center in New York City. The UAlbany men won the competition for the first time in the meet’s history, while the women’s team placed third. [Albany story]
Binghamton Bearcats
Graduate student Rory Quiller (West Point, N.Y.) won the men's pole vault and was named the Most Outstanding Performer, highlighting Binghamton's effort at the Great Dane Indoor Track Classic on Friday at the New York City Armory. There were no team scores kept during the meet, which ended late in the evening. [Binghamton story]
Boston University
The Boston University women's and men's track teams competed at the Terrier Invitational Friday and Saturday at the Track and Tennis Center, with 21 athletes placing in the top ten in their events. Sophomore Whitney Ford placed fourth in the 55m dash with a 7.20 mark, while sophomore Jan Bicanic took first in the men's shot put. [Boston story]
Hartford Hawks
The University of Hartford men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in their first event of 2008 at the Reebok Indoor Games this past weekend in Boston, MA. The men’s team finished 11th out of 13 teams, while the women finished 10th out of 11 teams. The Hawks will next compete at the Dartmouth Classic on Saturday, February 2 in Hanover, NH. [Hartford story]
Maine Black Bears
The University of Maine track and field teams competed in the Terrier Classic at Boston University on Friday and Saturday. Both men's and women's teams competed against the Boston University and many other universities from around the northeastern United States. [Maine story]
UMBC Retrievers
Junior Alex Hyland (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South/St. Francis (Pa.)) shattered her school record in the 3000-meter run by over 12 seconds and placed second as UMBC men’s and women’s track and field finished competition at the Penn State National Invitational on Saturday. The Retrievers also traveled to Fairfax, Va. on Saturday for the George Mason Patriot Games which saw the men finish second with 69 points and women finish seventh with 23 points. [UMBC story]
New Hampshire Wildcats
Senior Robert Edgerton (Cornish, N.H.) placed first in the one mile run as the University of New Hampshire men’s indoor track and field team placed fifth at the Harvard University Invitational on Jan. 26 at the Gordon Track and Tennis Center. Freshman Camille Quarles (Derry, N.H.) set another school record as the University of New Hampshire women’s indoor track and field team placed fourth at the Harvard University Invitational on Jan. 26 at the Gordon Track and Tennis Center. [UNH men's story] [UNH women's story]
Stony Brook Seawolves
Stony Brook's women's track and field team had a strong showing in the track events at the Terrier Invitational at Boston University Friday afternoon. The Seawolves' ran particularly well in the 5,000-meter, with two runners placing in the top-ten. Stony Brook's men's track and field team placed within the top-ten in three different field events at the Terrier Invitational at Boston University on Saturday. [Stony Brook story]
Vermont Catamounts
Senior Carmen Lagala (Montpelier, Vt.) and sophomore Justin Scricca (Wethersfield, Conn.) led the Vermont men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games hosted by Northeastern University. [Vermont story]