CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – America East track and field squads opened 2012 in style over the weekend with record-setting performances and strong versatile efforts.
The two teams in action over the weekend each boasts a pair of weekly award recipients. The University at Albany sweeps the field awards while UMBC does the same for track. Albany sophomore Alfonso Sannapieco (Mohegan Lake, N.Y./Lakelan-Panas) picks up Male Field Performer of the Week while teammate and classmate Kelsey Hanson (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) gets the Female Field Performer of the Week nod. UMBC’s Trae Proctor (Brandywine, Md./Thomas Stone) grabs Male Track Performer of the Week and Mercedes Jackson (Huntington, Md./Huntington) collects Female Track Performer of the Week.
Scannapieco placed first overall in the heptathlon with 4,956 points at the Crowell open to begin the 2012 season for the Great Danes. He took the top spot in three field events including the long jump (21’7.25”), the high jump (6’4.25”) and the pole vault (15’3”).
Hanson, meanwhile, took first in the pentathlon with a score of 3,262, over 200 points more than the second-place finisher. She leapt to victory in the long jump (16’11.5”) and turned in solid second-place finishes in the high jump (5’3.25”) and shot put (33’2”).
Proctor won his first event of the year at the Penn State Relays, claiming gold in the 60-meter hurdles. The junior ran a personal-best 8.03, a time that places him second all-time at UMBC. Proctor’s time also qualifies him for the IC4A Championships in March.
Jackson broke her own school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.50. The freshman set the record in her first collegiate meet back in December. In addition, Jackson now ranks third on the school’s all-time list for the 200-meter dash after running a 24.88 at the Penn State Relays.
Albany opened its 2011-2012 campaign at the Crowell Open with both the men’s and women’s teams sweeping the heptathlon and pentathlon events. Alfonso Scannapieco scored 4,956 points and placed first in three-of-seven events to win the heptathlon. Matthew Catera (Whitestone, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) placed second after a collection of strong track performances while Jared Heldmen (Langley, British Columbia/Brooskwood Secondary) finished third. For the women, Kelsey Hanson dominated the field events en route to a convincing win in the pentathlon. Her leaps of 16’11.5” in the long jump and 5’3.25” in the high jump propelled her to victory. Emily Curry (Getzville, N.Y./Williamsville North) also competed in the pentathlon and finished third overall. Freshman Michelle Anthony (Freeport, N.Y./Kellenburg) ran the 60-meter hurdles, clocking 9.33 for a fourth-place finish to start her collegiate career. The Great Danes return to action on Jan. 14 when they travel to University Park, Pa. for the Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge.
Binghamton begins the 2012 portion of its schedule on Jan. 21 with the Upstate Challenge at Cornell University.
Boston University kicks off its season with a Multi-Team Meet on Jan. 19 at the Track and Tennis Center.
The Hartford men’s and women’s track and field teams return to competition on Jan. 17 at the Reebok Indoor Games in Boston, Mass., at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletics Center.
Maine gets 2012 underway this weekend with a meet at Dartmouth on Jan. 14.
In the first meet of 2012, UMBC continued to set records at the Penn State Relays. Junior Trae Proctor claimed gold and set a new personal record of 8.03 in the 60-meter hurdles. Cameron McDearmon (Owings Mills, Md./Franklin) qualified for the IC4A Championships with a 17.47-meter toss in the weight-throw. For the women, freshman Mercedes Jackson picked up where she left off in 2011, running a 7.50 60-meter dash, breaking her own school record. Jackson and classmate Briana Young (Bowie, Md./Elizabeth Stone) both registered times in the 200-meter dash that cracked the top-10 list in the Retriever record books. UMBC continues its season on Friday when it travels to New York for the Gotham Cup.
New Hampshire is back in action on Jan. 21 when it hosts Holy Cross and Stonehill in Durham.
Stony Brook returns to competition on Jan. 20 at the Long Island Championships in South Huntington, N.Y.
The new year begins for Vermont on Jan. 14 when it travels to Dartmouth.