Bulldogs head to Emmitsburg for NEC Championships this weekend

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University track and field teams head to Emmitsburg, Md., this weekend for the Northeast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships and have their eyes set on putting the finishing touches on an outstanding season.

The Bulldogs finished in a tie for seventh on the women's side and in ninth on the men's side last season. Central Connecticut won the men's championship last year, while LIU Brooklyn captured the women's team title.

Juniors Kristen Hayes (Menands, N.Y.) and Annmarie Tuxbury (New Hartford, Conn.) and freshman Milan Duka (Belgrade, Serbia) are expected to lead the way for the Black and Gold this weekend. The defending champion in the 400m hurdles, Hayes enters the weekend second on the NEC performance list with a time of 1:01.44.

Tuxbury will look to match and exceed her performance in the 3000m steeplechase from last spring when she finished second. This year, she enters the championships with the second-best time in the NEC at 11:06.83. Tuxbury has also posted the third-best time in the 5000 (17:17.33).

Duka, an All-NEC runner in cross country and a medalist in the mile during the indoor championships, enters the weekend ranked third in the 3000m steeplechase (10:06.29) and eighth in the 800 (1:57.93).

Bryant's male distance runners have a chance to score major points this weekend as well. Richard Landry (Holyoke, Mass.) enters the weekend ranked fifth in the 1500 (4:02.96). In the 5000, Russell Stevens (Colchester, Conn.) and Blake Fenwick (Thomaston, Conn.) are ranked 6-7 with times of 15:19.52 and 15:34.74, respectively.

Freshman Deion Raper (Brockton, Mass.) will look to make a splash in his first outdoor championship meet as he enters the weekend seventh in the 400m hurdles (56.93) and eighth in the 110m hurdles (15.47).

The Bulldogs also look strong in the pole vault, long and triple jump and the javelin. Hayes Watson (Glastonbury, Conn.) is fourth with a height of 4.40m, while Adam Malone (Speonk, N.Y.) is fifth in the triple jump (14.21m) and eighth in the long jump (8.65m). Joseph Schwab () enters seventh in the javelin (50.59m).

On the women's side, Nicole Dempsey (Norwell, Mass.) leads a group of sprinters into the weekend. She is eighth in the 100 (12.46) entering the weekend, while MiaLynne Park (Jewett City, Conn.) is seventh in the 400 (57.87). Hayes is right behind and enters the weekend ninth (58.02) in the event.

Joining Tuxbury in the distance events will be seniors Brooke Tomasetti (Waterford, Conn.), Kara Walsh (Waltham, Mass) and Martha Reynolds (London, England). Tomasetti (6th) and Walsh (10th) both have their sights set on finals appearances in the 800 with times of 2:17.84 and 2:20.41. Reynolds is ninth in the 1500 (4:48.33).

Jonee Harrison (Dorchester, Mass.) and Samantha Puckett (Canterbury, N.H) will look to provide the Bulldogs points in the hammer throw. Harrison is 8th (45.83m) and Puckett is 9th (42.47m).