Men's Track and Field Takes Home Seven Medals at NEC Championships
CCSU takes fifth at NEC Indoor Championships
The Central Connecticut men's indoor track and field team took fifth overall at the 2017 Northeast Conference Championships, while taking home seven medals back to New Britain, CT. The Blue Devils scored 86.5 points, and LIU Brooklyn won its fourth straight title with 141 totals points. On day one of the finals inside Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, NY, senior Tyler Raymond led CCSU, winning bronze in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 8:31.50.
Central's second day at the championships began with a silver medal performance in the 60 meter hurdles from sophomore Edwin Alston, crossing the checkered stripe at 7.94 (eight points). Two other Blue Devils, sophomore Quincy Sanchez and junior Tyler Latham scored in the event. Sanchez set a new personal record, 8.31 (two points) in seventh place, and Latham finished at 8.42 (one point).
Senior Joseph Gioielli was the NEC Runner-Up in both the 800 meter dash and the mile run. In the 800M, the senior finished in 1:52.20, and clocked in at 4:13.29 in the mile. Junior Austin Trainor was right behind Gioielli in the 800M, coming in third place at 4:13.96, and senior Malcolm Connor grabbed bronze in the mile (1:52.72), totaling 28 points for CCSU in the two events.
Freshman Julio Arredondo ran a personal best time in the mile, 4:17.76, to come in fifth place.
Raymond reigning in another bronze medal in the 5,000 meter distance run, finishing in 14:47.64, scoring six in the process. Freshman Roberto Piotto and senior Alex Norstrom also ran in the 5K, taking 12th and 14th place, respectively.
Senior Zach Torro set a new PR in the weighted throw, while throwing a distance of 15.04 meters, good for sixth place (three points). The Blue Devil distance medley relay team consisting of, Trainor, Gioielli, senior Will Ribeiro, and Arredondo, placed third overall with a finishing time of 10:40.28.
Junior Jevon Elmore ran a 6.98 in the 60 meter dash (fifth place), and sophomore Richard Grudzwick crossing the finish line for the 500 meter run at 1:07.32 (fourth place). Rookie Marquis Ward took fourth in both the high jump (PR: 1.92m) and triple jump (13.56m).
Catch up on all of the highlights and interviews from the 2017 Northeast Conference Indoor T&F Championships on NEC Front Row. The men's indoor track and field team will resume action next weekend, Feb. 24-25 at the New England Championships at the historic Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Boston, MA.