MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The fact that the Eastern Connecticut State University men's and women's track & field teams opened their 2017 outdoor seasons indoors did nothing to tarnish outstanding performances by both teams at the Wesleyan University Spring Classic at the Bacon Field House.

In a non-scoring meet moved indoors due to dangerous conditions outdoors, both Eastern teams distinguished themselves in a field of nine competing institutions, with several events including upwards of 30 competitors.

Field Highlights

Sophomore All-New England long-jumper Chidebe Ndibe (West Hartford) dominated the jumps by winning the high jump (6-0) in a field of eight,, taking third in the triple (43-3 ¼) among nine and capturing fourth place in the long jump (21-7 ¼) against 15 other competitors.

Sophomore Matt Pinney (Mansfield), a New England shot put qualifier indoors, topped a field of 20 in the shot with a mark of 43j-1, two feet long than his nearest competitor.

Senior Jason Bindner (Milford) matched Ndibe's mark in the high jump, placing second, and was two spots behind Ndibe in the long jump with a distance of 20-3 ¾.

Versatile senior tri-captain Adam Pszczolkowski (Colebrook) had three top seven finishes: fourth among eight in the high jump – giving Eastern three of the top four – with a mark of 5-10; and seventh in the shot (37-1) among 20 and seventh among 16 in the long jump (19-6 ¼).

 Track Highlights

Senior tri-captain Lawrence McGill (New Haven) and junior Nick Afragola (Killingworth) excelled in the sprints. Afragola was fourth among 25 in the 100 (11.75) and McGIll second in a field of 15 in the 200 (23.75).

Senior Chris Armstrong (Bolton) outran a field of 11 in winning the 5,000 (16:52.48) and junior Noah Hallisey (East Lyme) was right behind (17:04.36) in second place.

Junior Cooper Goslin (South Windsor) and Armstrong went 4-6 in the 3,000 with times of 9:27.32 and 9:3776, respectively, in a field of 16, with Goslin also placing tenth among 31 in the 1,500 (4:15.87).

Eastern made its mark in the 400, with three Top 10 finishes in a field of 18: senior John Boisette (East Hartford) tied for third (53.49), freshman Mike Braley (Oxford) was eighth (55.56) and junior Greg Schroeder (Wethersfield) was ninth (55.72).

Two outstanding performances occurred in the 800, with freshman Zach Parisella (Hamden) and senior tri-captain Mike Underwood (Farmington) taking 4-5 in times of 2:03.83 and 2:04.26, respectively, in a group of 31 runners.

Up next: Saturday at U.S.Coast Guard Academy Invitational at 11 a.m.