Fitchburg State Takes On UNH Wildcat Invite

McClure leads women with school record in the pole vault: Desrochers paces men with first place finish in the discus

DURHAM, N.H. (April 13, 2013) – The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s outdoor track & field teams were in action this afternoon as they competed at the 2013 Wildcat Invitational hosted by the University of New Hampshire this afternoon.

Senior thrower Zach Desrochers (Dracut, Mass./Greater Lowell) paved the way for the men, earning top honors in the discus with a post-season toss of 46.93 meters, while classmate Will Lary (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) placed second in the 3000m steeplechase with a DIII NE time of 9:47.48. Senior Michael Grasela (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) was also strong in the event, finishing third overall with a MASCAC qualifying time of 10:22.16.

Freshmen Tim Allen (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) and Samuel Carroll (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) both posted MASCAC honors in the 1500 meter run with times of 4:35.37 and 4:35.81 respectively. Freshman Brandon Brideau (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) was strong in the 400m hurdles, placing sixth with a post-season time of 62.05.

On the track, the men’s 4x100 relay team of freshman Akhiel Willis (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough), junior Tevin Bienaime (Swansea, Mass./Joseph Case) and sophomores Trayvon Neal (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) and Elizear Torres) notched a season best time of 44.79 with a fourthplace finish in the event.

Sophomore Mark Wesgan (Lunenburg, Mass./Lunenburg) and Brideau finished tenth (18.02) and 12th (19.44) respectively in the 110 meter hurdles to qualify for the post-season, while  sophomore Maximin Rocheleau (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) set a personal best time of 52.46 in the 400 meter hurdles to qualify for the MASCAC championships, while sophomore Daniel Fitzpatrick (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) was as strong in the event, posting a season best time of 53.31 to also qualify for the post season.

In the 800m dash, Lary placed tenth with a MASCAC qualifying time of 2:00.38, while senior Josh Kaddy (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont) ran a personal best time of 2:03.73 to qualify for the post season as well.

Freshman Kwaku Mensah (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat) set a personal best MASCAC qualifying time of 11.44 (9th) in the 100 meter dash, while Willis (11.31) and Bienaime (11.71) qualified for the post season in the 100m as well. While Allen (16:54.16) and Carroll (18:06) both set personal best times in the 5000 meter run to qualify for the MASCAC championships.

In the field, Wesgam placed 11th in the long jump with a post-season mark of 5.80 meters, while Oster collected a personal best throw of 11.86 meters in the shot put with an 11th place effort to qualify for the post-season.

Rocheleau (5.60m) and Willis (5.50m) qualified for the MASCAC’s in the long jump, finished 15th and 16th respectively, while junior Tim Rymer (Littleton, Mass./Littleton) and freshman Kevin Duong (Fitchburg, Mass./Monty Tech) put forth solid efforts in the discus with post-season marks of 30.66m and 30.29m respectively.

Sophomore David Oster (Port Monomouth, N.J./Middletown) (11th) and freshmen Daniel Rymer (Littleton, Mass./Littleton) (13th) and Zachary Cash (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) rounded out the top men’s performances in the shot put with personal best tosses of 11.86m, 9.96m and 8.35m respectively.

For the ladies, sophomore Rebecca McClure (Lyndeborogh, N.H./Wilton-Lyndeborough) set a school record in the pole vault (4th) with a post season height of 3.12 meter, surpassing her previous mark of 3.05 meters set one week earlier. Classmate Arthina Robert (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Voc Tech) was strong as well, placing fifth in the 100 meter with a MASCAC qualifying time of 13.10, while also qualifying for the MASCAC’s in the 200m (28.19) and in the long jump (4.55m).

Senior Megan Gonzalez (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) was also solid for the Falcons, finishing fifth in the discus with a DIII NE qualifying mark of 34.33 meter, while also qualifying for the MASCAC’s in the shot put (6th) with a throw of 10.57 meters and in the hammer throw (10th) with a toss of 34.81m. Junior Brittany Chance (Foster, R.I./Ponaganset) put forth a strong effort in the javelin (2nd) with a post-season toss of 36.025 meters, while sophomore Jenae Harrison (Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington) posted a fifth place effort in the 800m with a DIII NE qualifying time of 2:21.78.

On the track, sophomore Braila Roy (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable), notched a post-season and personal best time of 5:06.68 in the 1500, while senior Linda Fortunato (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawan) placed fourth in the 3000m steeplechase with a MASCAC qualifying time of 13:38.21

In the 200 meter dash, sophomore Rachel Blanchard (Billerica, Mass./Shawsheen), McClure and junior Samantha Wilkinson (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) all posted post-season honors with times of 27.59, 27.98 and 29.21 respectively, while Wilkinson (63.69) and classmate Karollyn Wickless-Adams (Lansdale, Penn./North Penn) (69.47) both qualifying for the MASCAC championships in the 400m.

The women’s 4x100 meter relay team sophomore Tashanna Brown (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical), Robert, McClure and Blanchard placed fifth with a post-season time of 51.38, while the 4x400m relay team of Harrison, Wilkinson, McClure and Roy also notched post-season honors with a season best time of 4:18.14 in a sixth place finish.

In the 100 meter dash, Blanchard was solid, placing 16th overall to qualify for the MASCAC’s with a time of 13.41, while freshmen Shamira Nambafu (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) and Mary Whooten (Lisbon, Maine/Edward Little) registered personal best times of 14.55 and 14.80 to qualify for the MASCAC’s. Brown was strong in the 100m as well with a post-season mark of 13.84

In the field, junior Katelyn Sletterink (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) finished 11th in the hammer throw with a post-season toss of 33.17 meters, setting a new personal best in the process, while Brown (10th) and sophomore Ebony Schuerman (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) (14th) round out the top Falcons efforts for the women with MASCAC qualifying marks in the high jump (1.37m) and long jump (4.13m) respectively.

The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s outdoor track & field teams return to action on Saturday as they host the 2013 Eric Loeschner meet starting at 10:30 a.m.