BOSTON – Seven of our #AETF teams had strong performances over the weekend.

UMass Lowell began the weekend at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invite while UMBC and NJIT competed in the Dr. Sander Inviter on Friday. NJIT started the weekend with five new school records broken. Hayley Lucido broke the 800-meter record with a time of 2:14.52 while Sarah Van Ornum broke her own record by 19 seconds in the 3,000 meter.  

UAlbany joined the River Hawks at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invite on Saturday. The Great Danes found success all around as multiple athletes finished in the top three and Lalenii Grant finished third in the weight throw while becoming 10^th in program history with a throw of 17.95 meters. Binghamton posted six individual event winners while the men finished in second place overall and the women landed third.

The Catamounts Alex Beal won her fourth straight event to begin the indoor season. She won the women's 1000m in 2:58.90 while Rachel Barba cruised to a Catamount win in the 600 meter with a time of 1:39.57. On the men’s side, Vermont’s Kyle Hoffman took first in the 400-meter clocking in at 50.78. New Hampshire and Bryant competed against each other at the Paul Sweet Oval. The Wildcats secured their first place finish in the dual meet with multiple athletes taking home first place.

Another week of action kicks off on Thursday with UAlbany competing in the Millrose Games. On Friday and Saturday UMBC, NJIT, UMass Lowell, Vermont, Bryant, and Binghamton travel to meets across Boston and at Penn State.

2025 #AETF Weekly Award Winners – Jan. 27
Male Field Athlete of the Week
Owen Keating, Binghamton – Fr., Pompton Lakes, N.J.

• Won the pole vault at the Bucknell Gulden Invitational.
• His height of 16’ 4.75” is first in the conference as well as No. 95 in the nation.
• This is Keating’s first #AETF Field Athlete of the Week honor this year.

Male Track Athlete of the Week
Justin Banks, UMBC – So., Frederick, Md.

• Banks took home 10th in the mile with a time of 4:05.51
• Currently has the fastest mile time in the conference by nearly three seconds.
• This is Banks’s first indoor #AETF Track Athlete of the Week honor.

 
Male Rookie Athlete of the Week
Ojigwe Olua, UMBC – Fr., Catosnville, Md.   

• Won the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.91.
• His time is first in the conference and only sub-8 second performer.
• This is Olua’s first indoor #AETF Track Athlete of the Week honor.

Female Field Athlete of the Week
Avery Pitts, UMass Lowell – So., Willington, Conn.

• Pitts won the high jump at the Scarlet and White Invite
• Cleared 1.71 meters which is top in the conference.
• This is Pitt’s second #AETF weekly honor of the year.

Female Track Athlete of the Week
Katie Schwaner, UMBC – So., Mechanicsville, Md.

• Ran a personal-best of 2:10.66 in the 800 meter.
• The time ranks second in school history and first in the conference by four seconds.
• This is Schwaner’s first #AETF weekly honor.

 
Female Rookie Athlete of the Week
Jessie Fotheringham, NJIT – Fr., Tamworth, NSW, Australia

• Fotheringham broke the school record in the mile with a time of 4:51.72.
• Currently ranks first in the conference by four seconds.
• This is Fotheringham’s first #AETF Track Athlete of the Week honor of the year.

 
2025 #AETF Weekly Award Winners
Jan. 27 – Female Field Athlete: Avery Pitts, UMass Lowell; Female Track Athlete: Katie Schwaner, UMBC; Female Rookie: Jessie Fotheringham, NJIT; Male Field Athlete: Owen Keating, Binghamton; Male Track Athlete: Justin Banks, UMBC; Male Rookie: Ojigwe Olua, UMBC
Jan. 20 – Female Field Athlete: Marie Abongwa, UMBC; Female Track Athlete: Hayley Lucido, NJIT; Female Rookie: Enazajah Young, UMBC; Male Field Athlete: Frankie Gonzalez, UAlbany; Male Track Athlete: Weston Carr, UMBC; Male Rookie: Cassian Holland-Moritz, NJIT
Jan. 13 – Female Field Athlete: Avery Pitts, UMass Lowell; Female Track & Rookie Athlete: Enazajah Young, UMBC; Male Field Athlete: Torun Burr, UMBC; Male Track & Rookie Athlete: Jacob Martin, UMBC
Dec. 16 - Female Field Athlete: Fleur Balogh de Galantha, UMass Lowell; Female Track Athlete: Bayleigh Shanahan, Maine; Female Rookie: Nyrah Joseph, UMass Lowell; Male Field Athlete: Brandon Riley, UMass Lowell; Male Track Athlete: Charlie Collins, Maine; Male Rookie; Matin Mahmoud, NJIT
Dec. 9 - Female Field Athlete: Ava Roberts, UMBC; Female Track Athlete: Adaliz Hunt, UAlbany; Female Rookie: Enazajah Young, UMBC; Male Field Athlete: Brennan Delany, Binghamton; Male Track Athlete: Jan Wouter Van Den Akker, UMass Lowell; Male Rookie; Jacob Martin, UMBC

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 its social media channels, @AmericaEast.