BOSTON-- University of New Hampshire and University at Albany men lead the pack after day one of the 2009 America East Indoor Track & Field Championship at Boston University's Track & Tennis Center. For full women's results click here, and for full men's results click here.
The Wildcat women's distance medley team beat the competition by over 21 seconds, qualifying for the ECACs in a time of 11:55.53. New Hampshire junior Rita Ciambra, an NCAA participant during the last outdoor season, placed first in the pole vault, breaking the America East Championship record in the process. Ciambra jumped 3.80 meters to break the five-year-old record of 3.75 meters.
All-American Andrea Walkonen from Boston University automatically qualified for the NCAAs in the 5000 meters, running the event in 16:04.49, cruising to the finish line well over a minute before the next competitor, Stony Brook's Laura Huet (17:27.32), who qualified for the ECAC Championships. Walkonen broke her own America East Championship record that she set in 2006.
The Terriers also finished 1-2 in the long jump, with Edwina Clark topping the competition and Whitney Ford following up in second, both qualifying for the ECACs. New Hampshire's Ashlee Lathrop won the weight throw with an ECAC-qualifying mark of 17.45. Rounding out the women's scoring on Friday was Albany's Kamilah McShine, who took home the indoor pentathlon title with 3,418 points.
On the men's side, Binghamton's Chris Gaube placed first in the 5000 meters in an IC4A-qualifying time of 14:45.27. The Albany men's distance medley relay team took the gold, breaking the America East Championship record and provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Championship with a time of 9: 42.99. the Great Danes also earned points when junior Luke Schoen won the pole vault competition with a height of 5.05 meters. Teammate Michael Dempsey and Bearcat freshman Rob Quiller both jumped 4.80 meters to also qualify for the IC4A and round out the top three finishers. Albany's Wilfredo de Jesus Elias took home the weight throw title with a mark of 19.05
UNH senior Spencer Shaw followed up his school record in the long jump last weekend with a gold medal in the same event. Shaw jumped an IC4A-qualifying distance of 7.32 meters.
Through four events of the heptathlon, three Retrievers top the standings. Senior Jude Rene, freshman Matt Waters, and junior Michael Buccheri finished 1-3 after day one's events.
The 2009 America East Indoor Track and Field Championship concludes on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. with the heptathlon finals. The meet will end with both 4x400 relays shortly after 3 p.m. and will be followed by an awards ceremony.