Fitchburg State Track Opens At UMass Boston

Kibler places first in 5K with ECAC qualifying time of 14:54.91; McClure sets new school record with height of 3.20 meters in the pole vault

BOSTON, Mass. (December 7, 2013) – The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams opened their 2013-14 campaigns this afternoon as they competed at the 2nd annual UMass Boston Indoor Track and Field Open at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston.

Shining on the women’s side was junior Rebecca McClure (Lydenborough, N.H.), who broke her own school record with a first place and DIII qualifying height of 3.20 meters in the pole vault, while also posting a MASCAC qualifying time of 28.19 in the 200m. Classmate Arthina Robert (Lynn, Mass.) was also strong, turning in the second fastest time on the afternoon in the 60m with a personal best and ECAC qualifying time of 7.99, while also posting a post-season time of 27.26 in the 200 meter.

On the track, the ladies were just as strong paced by juniors Braila Roy (Hyannis, Mass.) and Jenae Harrison (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Roy turned in MASCAC time of 5:57.59 (Mile) and 3:32.75 in the 1000m, while Harrison set a PR time of 5:54.97 in mile, while also posting a post-season time of 2:38.27 in the 800 meter.

In the 5K, sophomore Libby Ward (Ashby, Mass.) and classmate Jessica Mangan (Everett, Mass.) garnered MASCAC qualifying times of 21:00.51 and 21:30.88 (PR) respectively, while senior Stephanie Irvin (Malden, Mass.) notched a personal best and post-season time of 68.33 in the 400 meter.

Mangan also posted her second MASCAC qualifier in the 3K (13:00.98), while newcomer Kelly McCarthy (Assonet, Mass.) excelled in the 1000 meter, turning in a time of 3:31.26 to qualify for the MASCAC’s. 

Junior Sarah Elliot (East Meadow, N.Y.) put forth a strong effort in the shot put with a MASCAC qualifying throw of 9.72 meters, while classmate Natasha McInnis (Leominster, Mass.) collected a pair of post-season times in the 60m (8.50) and 200m (28.74) to round out top performances for the ladies.

The Falcons men’s team had a successful start to the 2013 season as graduate student Chris Kibler (Bath, Me.) qualified for four post-season honors in the 5K. Kibler notched MASCAC, DIII, All-NE and ECAC marks in the 5,000 meter, finishing first overall with a time of 14:54.91. Junior Pat Conaty (Southington, Conn.) was the only other Falcon to notch DIII marks with a vault of 4.00m in the pole vault to place second overall, while Fitchburg State collected MASCAC qualifiers in nine other events.

On the track, junior Jim Quinlan (North Andover, Mass.) and freshmen Colen Stack (Greenfield, Mass.) and Matt Cuomo (Carlisle, Mass.) posted MASCAC qualifying time of 4:33.82, 4:50.71 and 4:52.65 in the mile, while Quinlan (2:37.3), Cuomo (2:50.01) and newcomer Brandon Hannon (Pelham, N.H) (2:45.71) notched post-season times in the 1000 meter.

Junior Maximin Rocheleau (Winchendon, Mass.) and freshman Nicholas Levenson (Halifax, Mass.) qualified for the MASCAC’s in the 400 meter with times of 53.99 and 53.78 respectively, while sophomore Akhiel Willis (Acton, Mass.) turned in a personal best time of 7.34 in the 60m to qualify for MASCAC’s. Classmate Charles De La Rosa (Westfield, Mass.) was also solid in the 60 meter, posting a post-season time of 7.52, while Willis (6.36m) and De La Rosa (5.70m) both notched a post-season marks in the long jump as well.

In the field, senior Tim Rymer (Littleton, Mass.) notched a MASCAC qualifying toss of 10.27 meters in the weight throw, while junior David Oster (Port Monomouth, N.J.) collected post-season honors in the shot put with a throw of 10.91m.

In the 60 meter hurdles, junior Mark Wesgan (Lunenburg, Mass.) and Levenson registered post-season times of 9.79 and 9.56 respectively, while sophomores Ben Bottrell (Malden, Mass.) and Kristopher Tardy (Holyoke, Mass.) rounded out the top Falcon efforts on the men’s side, with MASCAC qualifying marks in the high jump (1.85m) and long jump (5.77m) respectively.

The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s track and field teams will be back in action next weekend as they visit Northeastern University on Saturday afternoon.