TRACK & FIELD SHINES AT ANNUAL BRYANT INVITATIONAL SATURDAY

April 4, 2010

BRYANT TRACK & FIELD SHINES AT ANNUAL INVITATIONAL  SATURDAY

MEN'S RESULTS / WOMEN'S RESULTS / PHOTOS

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men’s and women’s outdoor track & field teams saw several outstanding performances Saturday at the annual Bryant Track & Field Invitational. 

Under beautiful sunny skies and warm temperatures at the Bryant Track & Field Complex, the Bulldogs turned in several strong times in many track events, especially considering Saturday was only the second outdoor meet of the spring.

Leading the way for the Bulldogs was freshman Deirdre Doyle (Carlow, Ireland) who took home first place in the women’s 1500 meters in a time of 4 minutes, 38.99 seconds, just four seconds shy of Diane Tedford’s 23 year school record of 4:35.74. 

Classmate Megan Robertson (Sewell, N.J.), coming off a tremendous indoor season, ran well in the women’s 5000 meters as the freshman finished first overall in 18:33.85, a time that was faster than Bryant’s best in the event in all of last season.

The women’s 4x100 relay team of Amanda Dilley (Melbourne, Fla.), Melissa Ellard (Foxboro, Mass.), Amy Hutchinson (Exeter, R.I.) and Sherika Nicholas (East Patchogue, N.Y.) placed second in 53.33 seconds, just behind first-place UMass-Dartmouth which crossed the line first in 52.78.

In the field events, freshman Laura Weeks (South Easton, Mass.) placed fifth in the women’s high jump followed by Melanie Farbotko (Brookline, N.H.) who was seventh and Joanna Chanaj (Peabody, Mass.) in eighth.  All three cleared 4 feet, 11.75 inches.

On the men’s side, Thomas O’Connor (Westwood, Mass.) took home two runner up finishes as the junior took second in the men’s 100 meter dash in 11.33 seconds and was also second in the 200 meters in 22.63.  O’Connor would also help lead the team’s 4x400 meter relay team to a first-place finish in 3:23.88.

Andrew Fitzgerald (New Hartford, Conn.) was second in the 400 hurdles in 56.95 and Anthony Monteiro (Leominster, Mass.) was third in 58.29 while freshman Joseph Pugliano (West Springfield, Mass.) was sixth in the 400 meter dash in 50.96 seconds.

In the field events, sophomore standout Chris Brida (Southampton, Mass.) placed third in both the men’s long jump, clearing 20 feet, 10.50 inches and the triple jump with a best mark on the day of 43-11.25.  His triple jump mark eclipsed last year’s best jump of 43-5 at the New England Championships in May of 2009.

The Bulldogs will return to action next Saturday at the Brown Invitational in Providence, R.I.