Men's Track & Field Sets Records

The Central Connecticut men's track and field team competed in three meets this weekend, breaking CCSU records and setting new season-best times. The Blue Devils traveled to Princeton, LSU and Holy Cross.

Larry Ellis Invitational, Princeton, NJ

Two members of the CCSU men's track and field team competed at the Larry Ellis Invitational in Princeton, NJ on Friday. Sophomore Brian Biekert shattered the CCSU steeplechase record and freshman Joseph Gioielli also broke a CCSU record in the 800 meter run.

LARRY ELLIS INVITATIONAL RESULTS

Biekert, who completed the 3,000m steeplechase in 8:59.11, earned a silver medal for his performance and ousted the old record (9:03.24) held by David Kintzing since 1980. Biekert earned the second-place honor in a field of 34 competitors.

Gioielli, who has had an impressive freshman year with the Blue Devils thus far, broke the CCSU record in the 800 meter run with his time of 1:51.33. He surpassed the old record of 1:52.12 set in 2010 by Mohamad Hrezi. He crossed the finish line in ninth place out of 50 runners.

LSU Alumni Gold, Baton Rouge, LA

Senior Aaron Radden earned two season-best times at the LSU Alumni Gold Invite amongst a field of tough competition on Saturday. He placed fourth in the 100 meter dash with his time of 10.77. Radden ran a 21.31 in the 200m, another season-best, for 11th place.

LSU ALUMNI GOLD RESULTS

Senior Nick Lindblom claimed the bronze medal in the 400 meter hurdle event. He crossed the finish line in 54.21.

Also earning the bronze was senior Rashad Williams. He placed third in the shot put, registering a distance of 16.91 meters. Williams also competed in the hammer throw, tossing a distance of 49.39 meters for 11th place.

Sophomore Jamal Fruster also competed for the Blue Devils Saturday. He ran a 49.23 in the 400 meter dash for 15th place.

Holy Cross Invitational, Worcester, MA

The Blue Devils earned seven top-five spots at the Holy Cross Invitational Saturday en route to their sixth-place finish out of eight teams. Junior Ryan Budd and sophomore Patrick Hubbell led Central. Both earned silver medals in their events.

HOLY CROSS RESULTS

Budd claimed second in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 54.50 for a new personal collegiate-best time. He was followed by sophomore Jordan Watkins who took fourth with his own personal-best time of 56.91.

Hubbell took second in the 3,000 meter steeplechase with his time of 9:55.09. He also placed sixth in the 5,000m (15:28.92) and was followed in eighth by freshman Derek French (15:43.07) and in tenth by freshman Tyler Raymond (15:43.69).

Central also earned a pair of bronze medals in the high jump and the 800 meter run. Sophomore Jamie Tobias earned a personal record clearing 1.93 meters in the high jump and freshman Malcolm Connor ran a 1:56.47 in the 800m.

Rounding out the top five performances for the Blue Devils were freshman Kendall Walker, who placed 4th in the 200m with a time of 22.71, and Watkins who earned a personal-best time of 14.99 in the 110m hurdles for fifth. Walker also placed sixth in the 100m with his time of 11.19.

Other notable performances by Central include personal records set by junior Chris Savvidou (51.53 in the 400m) and freshman John Sudol's 12.44m triple jump performance, which also earned him a new collegiate personal-best.

CCSU totaled 16 top-10 finishes at Holy Cross, including a seventh and eighth-place finish in the 1,500m by sophomore Andrew Hill and senior Mike Waterbury, respectively, as well as Sudol's seventh-place long jump performance.

Central will return to action April 25-27 at the Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, PA.