Canale sets new school record at Bates
Posted: Jan 19, 2020

Canale sets new school record at Bates

LEWISTON, Maine – The Bryant University men's and women's track and field team posted its best performance at the Bates Invitational on Saturday as they improved from their marks last season and set a new school record. Sophomore Andrew Canale (Lincroft, N.J.) broke the school record in the 600m with a record-breaking time of 1:22.36 

In dual meet action, the men posted 78 points while the women posted 68 but fell short to Maine who totaled 96 points for the men and 88 for the women. However, the Bulldogs improved from last season at Bates when the women fell to Maine with a 101-point deficit as compared to the 20-point deficit this season. Last year the men fell by 41 points and cut the deficit to just 18 this season.

COACH SWITZER COMMENTS

"By far our best showing at Bates to date. Our message this week was getting yourself in a position to score points for the team.  When we get to championships, that's what's going to matter. We went out, competed hard and we were able to walk away with multiple victories, and a new school record."

MEN TOP PERFORMERS

  • Canale highlighted the men with a new school record and a first-place finish in the 600m. Canale topped his personal-best from last season at the Bates Invitational in the same event with a time of 1:22.36, which is four seconds faster than one year ago. The sophomore beat out 11 runners and was accompanied by Jason Dolan (Westford, Mass.) and Christopher Wrenn (Norton, Mass.) in the top five. Dolan finished with a time of 1:23.94 and qualified for NEICAAA's.  
  • Junior Jordan Dagrin (North Kingstown, R.I.) finished second overall in the 1000m with a time of 2:35.65. He is now ninth all-time at Bryant for that event.
  • Freshman Kevin Aroke (Peabody, Mass.) set a new personal-best in the 60m hurdles. Aroke finished second out of six runners with a PR time of 8.54.
  • In field events, Jacob Borgia (Westborough, Mass.) earned first-place overall in pole vault out of nine competitors. Boriga cleared a personal best of 4.45m which is second all-time at Bryant.
  • Freshman Caleb Tondora (Milford, Conn.) set a personal-best in high jump and finished third overall leaping to a 1.80m mark.
  • Junior Chris Fasano (Lake Grove, N.Y.) shined in shot put finishing first out of 21 competitors while also becoming a NEICAAA Championship qualifier. Fasano holds the school record in the shot put event and was just shy of matching his record-breaking mark with 15.07m at Bates. Fasano's record stands at 15.70m and was set in 2018.

WOMEN TOP PERFORMERS

  • Nicole Xiarhos (Berlin, Conn.) qualified for the NEICAAA Championship after finishing first in the 60m dash. The sophomore beat out seven other runners and posted a time of 7.88 and is now second all-time at Bryant with the top time set at 7.82 by Nicole Dempsey in 2016.
  • Freshman Grace Yost (Wanaque, N.J.) made her collegiate debut in the 200m event with a time of 27.61 and crossed the finish line fourth overall. Yost also excelled in the 60m hurdles finishing second overall with a time of 9.49.
  • Sophomore Sarah Freeman (Merrimac, Mass.) set personal-bests in both the 600m and the 1000m. Freeman finished sixth overall with a time of 1:43.51 in the 600m and crossed the finish line with a time of 3:08.79 in the 1000m for a fourth-place finish.
  • Julia Ayres (Collegeville, Pa.) led the Bulldogs in the 3000m finishing second out of 12 runners. Ayres also set a new personal-best with a time of 10:39.47.
  • The Bulldogs dominated in the shot put event with three Bulldogs among the top five. Junior Courtney Kelleher (Wrentham, Mass.) led in first place out of 12 overall competitors throwing 12.18 meters and qualifying for NEICAAA's. Lily Lagoy trailed closely behind in second with an 11.83m mark. Freshman Kasey Thomas (Easton, Pa.) finished fourth with 11.79m.
  • All four Bulldogs who competed in the weight throw event set new personal-bests. Freshman Julia Mechlinski (North Attleboro, Mass.) led in third-place out of 10 competitors. Mechlinski posted 14.54m. Freshman Anna Orticerio (Smithfield, R.I.) trailed in fifth-place with a 13.58m mark while Thomas and Laura Rizik (Oradell, N.J.) rounded out the Black and Gold in seventh and eighth place. Thomas threw 12.89m followed by Rizik with 12.73m.

UP NEXT
 The Bulldogs take the short trip into Boston for the Terrier Invitational on Friday, Jan. 24 hosted by Boston University.