CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – All nine America East schools were in action over the past week. Albany and Binghamton travelled to Ithaca, New York for the Upstate Challenge held by Cornell University; Hartford, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont made their way to Boston, Massachusetts for the Joe Donahue Games hosted by Northeastern; UMBC and Stony Brook headed north to New York, New York for the Metro Team Challenge; and UMass Lowell also made it to Beantown for the BU Multi Team Invite. Here are this week’s #AETF award winners:
Male Track Performer of the Week
Jason Tomlinson, Albany, Junior, Bronx, New York
- Albany travelled to Ithaca, New York this past Saturday for the Upstate Challenge hosted by Cornell University.
- Jason Tomlinson placed second in the 500-meter race, finishing with a time of 1:03.12. That pace sits atop the America East this year, also currently ranks third in the nation after flat track conversion.
Co-Male Field Performer of the Week
Alexander Bowen Jr., Albany, Senior, Beacon, New York
- Albany travelled to Ithaca, New York this past Saturday for the Upstate Challenge hosted by Cornell University.
- Alexander Bowen Jr. placed second in the high jump, falling in a tie-breaker to teammate Matthew Campbell. Bowen Jr. recorded a height of 7’ 0.5”, tying him for best height in the America East this year with his teammate, Campbell.
- The mark of 7’ 0.5” places the senior in the top twenty nationally.
Co-Male Field Performer of the Week
Matthew Campbell, Albany, Sophomore, Spanish Town, Jamaica
- Albany travelled to Ithaca, New York this past Saturday for the Upstate Challenge hosted by Cornell University.
- Matthew Campbell won the high jump event with a mark of 7’ 0.5,” beating out teammate Alexander Bowen Jr. in a tiebreaker. The height sits a top the America East conference, and places him inside the top twenty nationally.
Female Track Performer of the Week
Grace Claxton, Albany, Junior, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Junior Grace Claxton won the 500-meter race at the Upstate Challenge in Ithaca, New York, hosted by Cornell University. Claxton took the event in a time of 1:13.29, a mark that ranks top in the America East and currently sits tenth in the nation.
Female Field Performer of the Week
Christy DiMichele, Binghamton, Senior, Vestal, New York
- Binghamton travelled to Ithaca, New York for the Cornell Update Challenge.
- Senior Christy DiMichele came in second in the pole vault, registering a height of 12’ 9.5,” setting a new school record and new benchmark for the America East this year.
Male Indoor Track & Field Notes
- The Great Danes trekked up to Ithaca, New York for the Upstate Challenge, hosted by Cornell University, and came home with a third place finish. Jason Tomlinson placed second in the 500-meter race, finishing with a time of 1:03.12. That pace not only sits atop the America East this year, but also currently ranks third in the nation after flat track conversion. Both Alexander Bowen Jr. and Matthew Campbell registered an America East high 7’ 0.5” in the high jump, but Campbell took home first place in a tiebreaker. Both Bowen Jr. and Campbell currently sit inside the top twenty nationally with that mark.
- Binghamton took to Ithaca, New York and came away with one individual first place finish at the Cornell Upstate Challenge. Adam Mcle won the 800 meter in a time of 1:54.01, and in the field Brandon Bordeau broke his own school record for the second straight week registering a score of 55’ 2.75” in the shot put, good enough for a third place finish.
- The Hartford Hawks men’s team competed in the Joe Donahue Games in Boston, Massachusetts. Highlights for Hartford in their first meet of 2015 include senior Jonathan Choiniere finishing 11th in the 1,000 meter with a time of 2:42.08. Sophomores Dominic DiCarlo and Alex Paterson placed 13th in their respective events. DiCarlo ran the 60-meter dash in 7.28 and Paterson finished the 200-meter in 23:33.
- The University of Maine ran in the Joe Donahue games at Northeastern and was led by Levi Frye. Frye led the field in the 3,000-meter with a time of 8:35.99, which is a new career best for the sophomore. Nelson Mozai took fifth in the 60-meter dash in 7.08 seconds, and in addition Mozai finished sixth in the 200 meter with a time of 22.83.
- UMBC took on the Metro Team Challenge in New York, New York. Dariyan Miles took fifth in the 60-meter dash in 6.96, but the best event for the Retrievers was the 3,000-meter race. Hassan Omar won the event in 8:27.99, and teammates Jon Luckin (8:38.26) and Rhys Burgett (8:47.29) took second and third. Yao Adantor finishing second in the shot put, recording a toss of 16.43 meters.
- The River Hawks travelled to Boston for the BU Multi Team Invitational and came away with three first place finishes. Junior sprinter Tunde Ogunleye won the 400-meter in a time of 49.22, edging out the second place finisher by 17-one hundredths of a second. Zachary Nelson won the mile run in 4:12.84, setting a new personal best time. Gilberto Brown won the high jump, clearing the bar at a height of 6’ 6.75”. Brown won a jump off with teammate Oluwatoni Onikeku to earn the first place finish.
- The Wildcats of New Hampshire placed fourth at the Joe Donahue Games at the Reggie Lewis Center. Christopher Poggi led UNH with a first place finish in the 500-meter with a time of 1:03.91, and Kevin Green came in first in the 1000 meter (2:24.58). New Hampshire was led in the field by Bryan Morris placed third in the pole vault (4.35 meters), and Michael Shanahan won the weight throw (18.63 meters).
- Stony Brook University took part in the Metro Meet Challenge in New York, New York for the Armory Track & Field Center. Alex Lopresti placed third in the 1,000 meter (2:28.73) with teammate Thomas Wimmers coming in seventh (2:34.66). Chris Hand was third in the weight throw, recording a throw of 17.27 meters. The Seawolves placed 11th overall at the meet.
- The University of Vermont took part in the Joe Donahue Games at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Massachusetts and placed third overall. Martin Kallur once again won the 60-meter hurdles (8.25), and teammates Romario Bailey and Dan Moroney placed second in their respective events of the 60-meter dash (6.92) and the 3,000-meter race (8:36.50). In the field, the Catamounts were led by Colby Cunningham who claimed third with a leap of 6.74 meters in the long jump.
Female Indoor Track & Field Notes
- The University at Albany placed second at the Upstate Challenge held by Cornell University. Grace Claxton won the 500-meter race in 1:13.29, a new record among America East runners this year. Claxton’s pace also ranks tenth in the nation as of today. On the field side, Paige Vadnais won the penthathon setting a personal best score of 3,349. She won three of the five events: 60-meter hurdles (9.23), high jump (5’45”), and 800-meter (2:35.43).
- Additional first place finishes in the field for Albany came from Briana Cherry-Bronson in the weight throw (64’ 1.75”), and Aiyanna James in the long jump (18’ 10”).
- Binghamton took part in the Cornell Upstate Challenge and came away with one victory in Ithaca, New York. Keishorea Armstrong won the triple jump, registering a distance of 40’ 6.5”. Another Bearcat highlight comes from Christy DiMichele; she set a new program record for the pole vault with a height of 12’ 9.5”. She placed second in the event and set a new high mark in for the America East Conference.
- The Hartford Hawks women’s team travelled to Boston, Massachusetts for the Joe Donahue Games. In their first meet of 2015 the Hawks were led by Sam Crisafulli, who posted a time of 2:16.05 in the 800 meter dash, good enough for eighth place. In the field, junior Maggie Fuller and sophomore Savannah Brown placed the Hawks in the jumping events. Fuller recorded 1.55 meters in the high jump while Brown finished with a mark of 9.99 meters in the triple jump.
- The Black Bears travelled to Boston, Massachusetts for the Joe Donahue games at Northeastern. Annabelle Wilson finished seventh in the 3,000 meter run, clocking in at 10:19.08, and Grace MacLean once again won the 60-meter dash in 9.08. In the field, Ashley Donahoe and Jaclyn Masters led the University of Maine. Danahoe took third in the shot put (41’ 10.50”) and Masters took fifth in the pole vault (10’ 10.00”).
- The Retrievers of UMBC travelled up to New York, New York for the Metro Team Challenge. Mercedes Jackson earned two second place finishes in the 60-meter dash (7.49) and 200-meter dash (24.46). Alisha Beeman took second in the high jump (1.65 meters), and Nneoma Edokobi notched runner up in the shot put (12.27 meters).
- UMass Lowell ran at the BU Multi Team Invitational and came away with three first place finishes. Senior Taelour Murphy won the 200-meter dash in 24.27 seconds; also in the 200-meter, teammate Shaniece Cola recorded a new personal best of 25.48. Another top place finish from the River Hawks came via way of the 2x400 relay team. Cola, Alexis Kitsakos, Aliyah Alley, and Katie Mulkerin crossed the finish line with the top time of 3:56.62. In the field, freshman Kerstin Darsney continued her hot stretch with a win in the triple jump, recording a mark of 38’ 8.25”.
- The University of New Hampshire placed fourth out of nine schools in the Joe Doanhue Games held at the Reggie Lewis Center. Benchmarks for the Wildcats include Danielle Gajewski claiming second in the 500-meter run (17.52) and Samantha Blaise takings fourth in the 3,000-meter (10:05.56). In the field, senior Jessica Salley earned third in the high jump event (1.65 meters).
- Stony Brook University travelled to New York, New York to the Armory Track & Field Center for the Metro Team Challenge. The women placed 11th with a total of 22 points. Kaylyn Gordon won her heat in the 60-meter dash and placed eighth overall (7.97). She also took third in the triple jump at 11.46 meters. Courtney Warden took eighth in the 60-meter hurdles final race with a time of 9.06.
- The Catamounts took part in the Joe Donahue Games in Boston, Massachusetts and place seventh overall. Grace Weisbecker was the lone champion for the women, taking the pole vault with a height of 3.6 meters. Other noticeable performances include Dana Gaetani who took second in the 400-meter dash (58.68), and Alicia Clark claimed fifth in the 3,000 meter (10:07.17).
Weekly Awards
Dec. 9
Male Track Performer of the Week: Christopher Poggi, New Hampshire
Male Field Performer of the Week: Alfonso Scannapieco, Albany
Female Track Performer of the Week: Mercedes Jackson, UMBC
Female Field Performer of the Week: Grace Weisbecker, Vermont
Dec. 16
Male Track Performer of the Week: Marcus Duncan, UMass Lowell
Male Field Performer of the Week: Michael Shanahan, New Hampshire
Female Track Performer of the Week: Anne Twombly, New Hampshire
Female Field Performer of the Week: Jessica Salley, New Hampshire
Jan. 13
Male Track Performer of the Week: Robert Allen, UMass Lowell
Male Field Performer of the Week: Joe Miceli, Binghamton
Female Track Performer of the Week: Mercedes Jackson, UMBC
Co-Female Field Performer of the Week: Kerstin, Darsney, UMass Lowell
Co-Female Field Performer of the Week: Alexis Murray, Binghamton
Jan. 20
Male Track Performer of the Week: Kevin Greene, New Hampshire
Male Field Performer of the Week: Martin Kallur, Vermont
Female Track Performer of the Week: Grace Claxton, Albany
Female Field Performer of the Week: Briana Cherry-Bronson, Albany
Jan. 27
Male Track Performer of the Week: Jason Tomlinson, Albany
Co-Male Field Performer of the Week: Alexander Bowen Jr., Albany
Co-Male Field Performer of the Week: Matthew Campbell, Albany
Female Track Performer of the Week: Grace Claxton, Albany
Female Field Performer of the Week: Christy DiMichele, Binghamton