Bryant T&F hosts Black and Gold Invitational this Saturday in Smithfield
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – For the first time since the 2011 season, the Bryant University track and field programs will compete at home as they host the Black and Gold Invitational on Saturday, April 2 at the Track and Turf Complex.
The Bulldogs will welcome Siena College, the University of Vermont, the University of Rhode Island and Colgate University to Smithfield this weekend for the first home meet since April 2, 2011.
Prior to the meet, the Bulldogs will recognize their senior class. Also, the Black and Gold are holding two alumni races and a youth race prior to the meet. To sign up for either, click here.
Bryant will be competing outdoors for the second time this season on Saturday and will be racing for the first time in two weeks. The Bulldogs opened the outdoor season at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C., during spring break. They competed against some of the top teams on the east coast and performed well.
Sophomore Melissa Lodge (Hopkinton, Mass.) highlighted the meet as she won the 5k with a time of 17:27.37. Seniors Russell Stevens (Colchester, Conn.) and Adam Malone (Speonk, N.Y.) also hand strong performances, finishing third in the 10k and long jump, respectively.
Black and Gold fans will also have a chance to watch two of Bryant's greatest female athletes in seniors Nicole Dempsey (Norwell, Mass.) and Kristen Hayes (Menands, N.Y.). The duo has put together two of the greatest careers in program history and will be running in the only home meet of their careers on Saturday. Dempsey solidified herself as the fastest female in program history this winter, becoming the only athlete in the school's history to run a sub-8.00 second 60m dash. Hayes is the two-time defending Northeast Conference 400m hurdle champ and is one of the most decorated athletes in school history.
Saturday's meet with feature 14 events beginning at 12:00 p.m. Events will take place on the track, while the throwing events will be held out beyond Conaty Park.
The meet will also be streamed live on NECFrontRow. It will be the first-ever track meet to be broadcast on NECFrontRow and will begin at 12:00 p.m.
