Track & Field

Final #AETF Awards Set the Stage for the 2025 #AETF Outdoor Championships

Boston – It was the final weekend before the #AETF Championships, but that didn’t stop many performers from hitting the competition surface hard.

A handful of America East athletes traveld to Philadelphia, Pa. for the 129th running of the Penn Relays, a meet that features some of the top teams in the country and across the pond. UMass Lowell’s James Kotowski battled through rain and wind in the javelin to take home the victory—his second Penn Relays wheel of his career—while UMBC’s Iosif Papa turned in a second-place finish in the discus with a toss of 57.10m.

In the relays, the Bryant women’s 4x400m relay team crossed the line first in the Eastern final, running 3:49.16, while the UMBC women took second in the College final with a conference-best time of 3:41.89.

On Saturday, all nine schools will descend on Durham, New Hampshire, for the two-day America East Outdoor Track & Field Championship meet.


NCAA Women’s Top - 25
#24 - 100mH - Toni Galloway, UAlbany | 13.17R

NCAA Men’s Top - 25
#10 - Javelin - James Kotowski, UMass Lowell | 73.28m
#15 - Discus - Losif Papa, UMBC | 59.12m
#22 - Long Jump - Louis Gordon, UAlbany | 7.73m

#AETF  Weekly Award Winners – April 29

Female Field Athlete of the Week
Leann Nicholas, UAlbany – Sr., Farmingdale, N.Y.
  • Nicholas recorded a first-place finish in the triple jump at the RPI Capital District Classic Invitational with a leap of 11.97m.
  • Her mark currently ranks 15th in the Northeast region.
  • This is Nicholas' first #AETF Field Athlete of the Week this outdoor season

Female Track Athlete of the Week
Genelle Stephens, UMBC – So., Fort Washington, Md.
  • Stephens ran a conference-leading time of 59.84 in the 400 hurdles at the Penn Relays.
  • The sophomore sprinter also ran a leg on the Retrievers’ 4x400 relay team, which posted a conference-best time of 3:41.89.
  • This is Stephen's first #AETF Track Athlete of the Week honor this outdoor season

Female Rookie of the Week
Emma Reaves, New Hampshire – Fr., Westminster, Md.
  • Reaves finished second in the shot put at the Pre-Conference Invite with a personal-best throw of 13.53m.
  • The newcomer also placed fifth in the discus with a toss of 40.25m.
  • This is Reaves second #AETF Rookie of the Week honor this outoor season

Male Field Athlete of the Week
James Kotowski, UMass Lowell – Gr., Stoneham, Mass.
  • Kotowski won the javelin at the Penn Relays this weekend, battling through rainy conditions with a throw of 66.71m.
  • This is his second career Penn Relays javelin victory; he last won it in 2023 with a throw of 70.42m.
  • This is Kotowski's third #AETF Field Athlete of the Week honor this outdoor season

Male Track Athlete of the Week
Marcus Johnson, Binghamton – Gr., Palatine Bridge, N.Y.
  • Johnson continued his standout graduate-season campaign, placing fourth in the 400 hurdles at the Penn Relays.
  • His time of 50.82 broke his own school record and is currently tied for No. 17 in the East Region.
  • This is Johnson's second #AETF Track Athlete of the Week honor this outdoor season

Male Rookie of the Week
Alain Twite, New Hampshire – Fr., Brampton, Concord, N.H.
  • Twite placed third in the triple jump with a personal-best of 14.33m at the Pre-Conference Invite.
  • This is Twite's first #AETF Rookie of the Week honor this outdoor season

2025 #AETF Weekly Award Winners
March 25- Female Field Athlete: Lalenii Grant, UAlbany; Female Track Athlete: Toni Galloway, UAlbany; Female Rookie: Lalenii Grant, UAlbany; Male Field Athlete: Simone Menchini, UAlbany; Male Track Athlete: Jed Elmbarki, UAlbany; Male Rookie; Tooni Ogunyeye    
April 1 - Female Field Athlete: Shelby Anderson, Bryant; Female Track Athlete: Ruth White, New Hampshire; Female Rookie: Ruth White, New Hampshire; Male Field Athlete: James Kotowski, UMass Lowell; Male Track Athlete: Alpha Balde, UMBC; Male Rookie; Justin Febles, UMBC    
April 8 - Female Field Athlete: Miyanah Robinson, UAlbany; Female Track Athlete: Toni Galloway, UAlbany; Female Rookie: Miyanah Robinson, UAlbany; Male Field Athlete: Liam McGovern, New Hampshire; Male Track Athlete: Abidi Hassan, UAlbany; Male Rookie; Tooni Ogunyeye, UAlbany
April 15 - Female Field Athlete: Emma Reaves, New Hampshire; Female Track Athlete: Helen Shearer, Maine ; Female Rookie: Emma Reaves, New Hampshire; Male Field Athlete: Brian Luciano, Binghamton; Male Track Athlete: Marquis Miller, UMBC; Male Rookie; Joseph Addo, UMBC
April 22 - Female Field Athlete: Sarah Moore, New Hampshire; Female Track Athlete: Toni Galloway, UAlbany; Female Rookie: Sarah Moore, New Hampshire; Male Field Athlete: James Kotowski, UMass Lowell; Male Track Athlete: Marcus Johnson, Binghamton; Male Rookie; Tooni Ogunyeye, UAlbany

ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
 
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