Eastern Men's Finishers Eastern Women's Finishers
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Eastern Connecticut State University men's and women's track and field athletes achieved five first-place finishes and broke two program records Saturday at the Springfield College Invitational at the Springfield College Field House.
Junior Andre Reynolds (Hartford) tied his own program record of 8.66 in the preliminaries of the 60 meter hurdles, then broke that mark soon after with a new record of 8.58 in racing to first place in an original field of 19.
At right: Individual winners Lauren Hultzman in the high jump, and Lee Cattanach (inset) at 800 meters.
Junior Lee Cattanach (New London) set the fourth individual indoor record of his career – second this year -- by winning the 800 meters in a field of 18 in a time of 1:58.80, just less than three seconds faster than Ken Pareceof Westfield State. Cannatach becomes the first runner in program history to break two minutes in the event. He had set the current program record in the mile in the first meet of the season Dec.7 and had established program records at 3000 and 5000 meters a year ago.
Additional winners for the men included senior Fredrick Hewett (New London) in the 400 and the 4x400 relay. Hewett outran a field of 34 in the 400 with a time of 51.79, edging Daryl Ansley of Ramapo College at the tape by .10. The 4x400 relay was first in a field of 13 in a time of 3:33.11, nipping Westfield State at the line by just under a second. Runners were Hewett, junior Dylan Kruppa (Torrington), freshman Joe Rainville (Montville) and junior D'Vonte Chambers (West Haven).
On the women's side, senior Lauren Hultzman (Putnam) took the high jump in a field of 20 participants with a winning mark of 5-3, which is one-quarter of an inch off her own indoor record set at least year's ECAC Championships. Her closest competitors were Amira Dardir of Stevens Tech and Stephanie Encarnacion of Ramapo, each of whom cleared 5-1 ¾.
Eleven different individuals contributed points for the men, who finished third with 66 points as the highest-scoring New England team in a field of nine participating teams. The Warriors trailed only RPI (112 points) of New York and Ramapo College (102) of New Jersey.
Hewett totaled 18 points with his first-place performance in the 400 and a second-place showing in a field of 44 at 60 meters. Cattanach and Reynolds both totaled ten points with their wins, Kruppa added eight with a second-place finish in the 600 in addition to his contribution on the winning relay; sophomore John Boisette (East Hartford) added six points with a second-place finish at 60 meters; and junior Luisantonio Rosado (Ponce, PR) chipped in two points by taking fifth in the 60 meter hurdles. The 4x200 meter relay scored two points with a fifth-place finish behind freshmen Cameron Kellogg (Waterbury) and Dan Manzi (Coventry), junior Christopher Brown (Hartford) and Boisette.
The Eastern women were ninth in a field of 11 with 24 points. Contributing points in addition to Hultzman were seniors Amy Huhn (Hebron) and Akaya McElveen (New Haven) in the pole vault and 600 meters, respectively, sophomore Chelsea Morsey (East Hampton) in the 600, and the 4x800 relay of McElveen, Morsey, sophomore Kylie McCartney (Manchester) and junior Kelly Labanara (Chaplin).
Huhn shared second place in a field of 15 to garner seven points; the 4x800 relay earned four points by taking fourth, and McElveen and Morsey submitted two and one point, respectively, by going 5-6 in the 600.
Eastern returns to Springfield College this Saturday.
Women's Results
- Ramapo College 121.5; 2. Springfield College 81; 3. American Int'l College 77; 4. Trinity College 76; 5. Worcester State U. 43; 6. Westfield State U. 40; 7. RPI 39; 8. Stevens Tech 28.5; 9. EASTERN CONN. 24; 10. Assumption College 17; 11. CCNY 6.
Men's Results
1. RPI 112; 2. Ramapo College 102; 3. EASTERN CONN. 66; 4. Springfield College 60;
2. 5. Westfield State U. 52; 6. Stevens Tech 45; 7. Trinity College 42; 8. Assumption
3. College 32; 9. American Int'l College 24; 10. Worcester State U. 20.
