MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK READY FOR NEC CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND
April 29, 2010
BRYANT TRACK & FIELD TEAMS READY FOR NORTHEAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND
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SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Championship season begins this weekend when the Bryant University men’s and women’s track & field teams head to Emmitsburg, Md. for the 2010 NEC Track & Field Championships this Saturday and Sunday. This will be the first time the Bulldogs will compete in the outdoor NEC championships. The teams competed at the indoor championships the past two seasons with the men and women both placing ninth at the indoor meet in February.
This year’s outdoor championships will take place on the campus of Mount St. Mary’s and will kick off on Saturday at 9 a.m. with the running of the men’s and women’s 10,000 meters . Monmouth is the defending champion on both the men’s and women’s side.
The Bulldogs will look to score well in several events during the weekend championships. Freshman standout Deirdre Doyle (Carlow, Ireland), fresh off a brilliant performance at the Penn Relays, comes into the meet holding the conference’s best mark in the 1500 meters in 4:38.99 while classmate Megan Robertson (Sewell, N.J.) has run well in the distance events this spring as well. Robertson has the team’s best mark in the 3000 meters of 10:26.02 and is second behind Doyle in the 1500m with a time of 4:58.97.
The men are led by the outstanding Alex Engel (Spencer, Mass.) and Thomas O’Connor (Westwood, Mass.) who look to score points for the Bulldogs in the sprints and in the relays . O’Connor owns the team’s best times in the 100 meters (11.17), 200 meters (22.44) and 400 meters (49.57) with Engel close behind the 400m (50.07).
Freshman Joe Pugliano (West Springfield, Mass.) has enjoyed a strong first season with the Bulldogs. This year, he has the team’s second-best mark in the 100m of 11.62 and 200 meters (23.35). O’Connor, Engel, Pugliano and junior Michael DiBella (Upper Saddle River, NJ) will look to give chase for top honors in the men’s 4x400 meter relay Sunday afternoon.
Following the conference meet, the Bulldogs will compete in the New England Championships May 7-8 and the ECAC Championships May 15-16.
Men's & Women's Outdoor Track & Field
Championship Participants (12)
Bryant, Central Connecticut State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Long
Island, Monmouth,
Mount St. Mary's, Quinnipiac, Robert Morris,
Sacred Heart, St. Francis (NY), Saint Francis (PA)
and Wagner.