December 6, 2009
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD TEAMS KICK OFF SEASON AT BROWN
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Bryant University men's and women's track & field teams kicked off the 2009-10 indoor season this past weekend at the Brown University Alden Invitational. Competing in the non-scoring meet against teams from Providence College, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Navy Prep and Brown, the Bulldogs had several fine performances in just the first meet of the year.
On the men's side, Thomas O'Connor (Westwood, Mass.) had a big day. The junior took first in the 55 meter prelims in 6.50 seconds and took home second in the finals of the 55m in 6.73. Newcomer Joe Pugliano and Justin Hoffner (Oxford, Conn.) also qualified for the finals, finished tied for fifth at 7.01.
O'Connor would later add a first-place finish in the 300 meters in 36.08 seconds, the best time of the three heats combined. He would also run a leg in the men's 4x400 meter relay team that took first in 3:26.07.
Senior standout Alex Engel (Spencer, Mass.) picked up a first-place finish of his own in the 500 meters, winning the first heat in 1:06.35, the best of all heats in the event. Mike DiBella (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) was fourth in Engel's heat, crossing the line in 1:07.64.
Other highlights on the day include Anthony Monteiro's (Leominster, Mass.) first in the 55 meter hurdles (8.17), John Mitton's (North Reading, Mass.) second in the 1,000 meters in 2:41.06, Scott Twardowski's (Rehoboth, Mass.) second in the 1,600 (4:29.94) and Chris Brida's (Southampton, Mass.) second-place finish in the long jump, clearing 6.48 meters.
On the women's side, Amanda Garber (Brewster, N.Y.) earned a first-place finish in her heat in the 1,000 meters in a time of 3:29.84 - finishing 14th overall. Teammate Jennifer Denise (East Patchogue, N.Y.) was fourth in her 1000m heat, 17th overall, in 3:34.37.
Freshman Molly Tower (Harwinton, Conn.) was seventh in the 1,600 meters in 5:42.28 with sophomore Kat Ragone (Bourne, Mass.) 11th (6:02.47).
Freshman Amanda Dilley (Melbourne, Fla.) made a big splash in her Bulldog debut as the newcomer placed fourth in the prelims of the 55 hurdles in 9.38 seconds, good enough to qualify for the finals. In the finals, Dilley turned in a quicker time at 9.29 seconds to finish seventh overall.
In the field events, Joanna Chanaj (Peabody, Mass.) and Melanie Farbotko (Brookline, NH) were 11th and 12th respectively in the high jump, clearing 1.5 meters. Amy Hutchinson (Exeter, R.I.) was third in the second flight of the long jump (5th overall) with a best mark of 4.80 meters and later took 10th in the triple jump with a best jump of 9.58 meters.
The Bulldogs travel to Harvard next week.
