Bryant begins indoor season at Alden Invitational
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University track & field team will begin its indoor season on Saturday, Dec. 2 when the Bulldogs participate in the Alden Invitational hosted by Brown University. Events are set to begin at 10:30 a.m. and will run throughout the day.
"The Alden Invitational is a great opportunity for us to get out and see where the team is at after a long Fall training period," Bryant Director of Track & Field and head coach Mitchell Switzer said. "A lot of the cross country members will rest from this meet after having a long cross country season, but our track team will get out and get after it. We use this meet as a rust buster and to give the freshman the opportunity to get their first chance to compete at the Division I level with a little less pressure. The team has been training well thus far this fall, and I am expecting some exciting things from tomorrow."
Bryant student-athletes will participate 52 times over 18 events in Saturday's meet, competing against four other schools. UMass Lowell, Brown, Rhode Island, and Hartford are all also competing in the Alden Invitational.
In last year's event, Bryant had success in both the men's and women's events. Then-freshman James Giumetti (Duxbury, Mass.) and then-sophomore Kyle Ivanov (Ipswich, Mass.) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the men's long jump. Now-junior Alexandra Watts (Clinton, Conn.) had a fifth-place finish in the pole vault, while now-senior Melissa Lodge (Hopkinton, Mass.) finished fifth in the women's 3000-meter.
The team will also have several freshmen make their Bryant debuts on Saturday. Amanda Whitham (Newton, Mass.) will compete in two events, while Ellie Goyette (Lowell, Mass.), Courtney Kelleher (Wrentham, Mass.), Kierstin Lock (Salem, N.H.), Caroline Meizen (Douglas, Mass.), Megan Parker (Middletown, Conn.), and Camryn Wesoloskie (Manchester, Conn.) will all compete in one event each.
For the men, ten Bulldogs will debut Saturday. Jacob Borgia (Westborough, Mass.), Ryan Dumont, Anthony Holloway (Forked River, N.J.), Thomas McNeil (Foxborough, Mass.), and Joel Urizar (Fairfield, Conn.) will all make their debuts in two events, while Nick Alessandro (Pomfret Center, Conn.), Brett Cloutier (North Attleboro, Mass.), Bill Conlan (Seymour, Conn.), Josh Pestana (Plymouth, Mass.), Samuel Sargent (Westminster, Mass.) will all compete in one event.
For up to date news on the Bryant track & field program, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram at BryantXCTF.