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February 16, 2009

For Immediate Release

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Northeast-10 Men’s Track Athlete of the Week

Ruben Sanca, UMass Lowell (Sr., Boston, Mass.) - Provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship in his second and third events at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Placed sixth overall and first among collegiate runners in the mile in 4:07.37, the fourth-fastest time in the country. Also ran the mile (4:08.80) on UMass Lowell's distance medley relay team which placed first in 9:55.71, the third-best result in the country thus far.

Northeast-10 Women’s Track Athlete of the Week

Patricia Brice, UMass Lowell (So., Chelmsford, Mass.) - Provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship in two relays at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Ran the 400 meters in 57.4 seconds to lead the UMass Lowell distance medley relay team to second overall and tops among collegiate teams in 11:45.26, currently the second-fastest time in the country. Also ran a 58.6-second split on UML's 4X400 meter relay team which placed third overall (first among Division II-III foursomes) in 3:54.53, which ranks 10th in the country.

Northeast-10 Men’s Track Freshman of the Week

Mike Vatti, Bentley (Fr., Easton, Pa.) - At the Boston University Valentine’s Invitational, provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships with a time of 48.79 seconds in the 400 meters. Won his heat, was fifth amongst collegians and finished 8th of 164 overall. Already second on Bentley’s all-time list on the event, he improved on his previous best by 0.57 seconds.

Northeast-10 Women’s Track Freshman of the Week

Susan O’Connell, Stonehill (Fr., East Greenwich, R.I.) - Ran the second fastest 800 in school history, in 2:17.25, taking 26th overall in the event at the Valentine Invitational. Also ran the 800 leg of the Distance Medley Relay which broke the school record by eight seconds with their time of 12:18.54.

Northeast-10 Men’s Field Athlete of the Week

Cory Murray, UMass Lowell (So., Methuen, Mass.) - Placed eighth overall and first among Division II-III throwers in the shot put at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Threw for a distance of 48' 6.25''.

Northeast-10 Women’s Field Athlete of the Week

Jacqui Barrett, UMass Lowell (Jr., Woburn, Mass.) - Placed third overall (first among Division II-III throwers) in the shot put at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Threw for a distance of 44' 11.0''.

Northeast-10 Men’s Field Freshman of the Week

Shaddi Ali, UMass Lowell (Fr., Stoneham, Mass.) - Placed second overall and tops among Division II-III athletes in the high jump at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Cleared 6 feet, 6 inches to place behind only Ronnie Black of Virginia Commonwealth, who also leapt 6-6 albeit on fewer chances.

Northeast-10 Women’s Field Freshman of the Week

Bidemi Balogun, American International (Fr., Providence, R.I.) - Placed fifth in the weight throw at Boston University's Valentine Invitational with a school-record toss of 15.96 meters.

Weekly Honor Roll:

Melissa Nash, Bentley (Sr., Marshfield, Mass.) - Broke her own school record and improved on her NCAA provisional qualifying performance in the 5,000 meters with a time of 17:20.90 during the Boston University Valentine’s Invitational. Bettered the Bentley standard she set three weeks earlier on the same track by about 17 seconds while finishing sixth of 67.

Haley Catarius, UMass Lowell (Jr., Marshfield, Mass.) - Starred in two events at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Helped UMass Lowell provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championship in the distance medley relay, running the 800 meters in 2:14.20. Also placed 12th overall and second among Division II-III runners in the open 800 with a time of 2:14.55, just 0.16 seconds shy of matching the school record.

Doug Caves, UMass Lowell (Jr., Ocford, Mass.) - Provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship in both the 4X400 meter relay and the distance medley relay at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Ran a 47.1-second split in the 4X400 to help UMass Lowell place first and post the fastest time in the country (3:11.97). Also ran a 46.7-second split on UMass Lowell's distance medley relay team which won the event in 9:55.71, currently third on the Division II list.

Joey DeWitt, UMass Lowell (Sr., Ellsworth, Maine) - Improved his NCAA qualifying position in two events at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Ran the 800 meters in 1:55.00 as UMass Lowell won the distance medley relay (9:55.71), the third-fastest time in the country. Also placed 15th overall (third among Division II-III runners) in the mile in 4:10.47, improving to sixth on the Division II list.

Chrissy Silvar, UMass Lowell (Fr., Fitchburg, Mass.) - Placed 15th overall and first among Division II-III athletes in the pole vault at the Boston University St. Valentine's Day Invitational. Cleared 10 feet even.

Kevin Downing, New Haven (Fr., Meriden, Conn.) - Won the 200-meter dash at the Lafayette-Rider Invitational in a school record time of 21.66, provisionally qualifying for the national meet. Also finished 14th in the 400-meter dash (50.08) to qualify for the New England Championships.

Shannon Gagne, New Haven (So., Meriden, Conn.) - Finished third in both the 60-meter dash (7.77) and 200-meter dash (25.02) at the Lafayette-Rider Invitational. Set the school record in the 60-meter dash and provisionally qualified for the national meet.

Ashley Jackman, Saint Rose (Fr., Duanesburg, N.Y.) - Recorded the top individual performance for Saint Rose at the Lafayette-Rider Games by taking fourth in the 1,000-meter run. Completed the race in 3:09.40, just nine seconds off the school record pace.

Brad Lewis, Saint Rose (Sr., Troy, N.Y.) - Helped lead the 4x800 relay squad to a school record time of 8:01.86 and a fourth place performance at the Lafayette-Rider Games. Also took 15th in the mile by crossing the line in 4:28.36.

Laura Brustolon, Southern Connecticut (Jr., Mystic, Conn.) - Finished 13th in the 5000 meter run with a time of 17:38.73, setting a new school record for the indoor 5000 meter run. Her time provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championship.

McNeil Johnson, Southern Connecticut (Sr., East Hartford, Conn.) - Placed third in the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 7.70 seconds at the Valentine's Invitational.

Letecia Taylor, Southern Connecticut (Jr., Plainfield, Conn.) - Placed second in the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 8.14. Broke her own school record and improved her provisional mark on the NCAA national’s qualifier list. Was also a member of the 4x400 meter relay team that finished second with a time of 3:54.94.

Joe D'Agostino, Stonehill (Jr., Canton, Mass.) - Took fourth in the high jump at the Valentine Invitational, jumping 6'4”.

Max Hoddwells, Stonehill (Fr., Wayne, Maine) – Placed eighth in the 55 meter hurdles at the Valentine’s Invitational with a time of 7.91 seconds, finishing just five hundredths of a second off the school record.

Lindsey Pinkham, Stonehill (So., Skowhegan, Maine) - Recorded the third fastest 800 time in school history with her time of 2:19.0 at the Valentine Invitational. Also led off Stonehill's record setting Distance Medley Relay performance, breaking the school by eight seconds with a time of 12:18.54.

Torrey Price, Stonehill (Sr., Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) - Price took eighth place in the 55 Meter Dash at the Valentine Invitational with a time of 6.50 seconds. Also took 16th in the 200 (22.13).

Weekly Notes:

BENTLEY: For the second time this year, Bentley senior Melissa Nash broke the school record in the 5,000 meters while running on the Boston University track. She posted a time of 17:20.90 Friday night at the BU Valentine’s Invitational, bettering the 17:38.22 she set Jan. 23. While Nash improved on her NCAA provisional qualifying time, freshman Mike Vatti qualified for the first time with a 48.79 in the 400 meters.

SAINT ROSE: Both the 4x400 and 4x800 relay school records fell Friday at the Lafayette-Rider Games. The Golden Knights bettered the 14-year old mark in the 4x400 with a time of 3:27.41, while the 4x800 squad shaved five seconds off the 14-year old mark behind an 8:01.86 clocking. Furthermore, junior Ann Palmer (Colonie, NY/Colonie) bettered her own school record in the long jump with a leap of 5.17-meters.