By George Tatoris
Staff Writer
The men’s and women’s track and field teams split up this weekend to take on competition in two different meets: the Monmouth University Winter Collegiate Open and the Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational.
The Boston University Track and Tennis Center houses one the fastest tracks in the country. This is due to the extent to which the track is banked. The effects were manifested in the Lions’ spectacular times.
“It’s a strange feeling — you don’t feel like you’re running faster,” said sophomore Brandon Mazzarella about the track. “But as you come around each lap, you look at the clock and you realize you’re running faster than you thought.”
The women’s team had their best weekend this season. Senior Katelyn Ary proved herself the fastest Division III runner in the nation in the 800 meters, which she completed in 2:11.56, a personal best.
“This weekend showed me that I am a lot stronger than I ever expected,” Ary said.
Ary was not alone in her phenomenal success. Senior Joy Spriggs was the top Division III runner in the 400 meters that meet, boasting an impressive 57.21 finishing time, which, in addition to being a personal best, put her in the top 10 Division III runners in that race this season.
Ary and Spriggs, along with senior Michelle Cascio and freshman Emily Mead, were the first Division III and 19th overall quartet to finish the 4x400 with a combined time of 3:54.5. Ary and Spriggs were also part of the distance medley that took place on the day the men’s team ran.
They, along with freshman Allison Fournier and senior Megan Stack, teamed up in the distance relay for a finishing time of 12:10.71, finishing 13th overall.
At the same meet, junior Jake Lindacher was the fastest amongst the Division III runners in the 60-meter high hurdles with a time of 8.37 seconds, placing 12th overall.
Lindacher is ranked 6th in the nation, according to head coach Justin Lindsey.
Mazzarella scored a personal best in the 800 meters with a time of 1:54.10. This put him 32nd out of 206 runners.
Mazzarella, with junior Laron Day, freshman Daniel Lynch and senior Erik Moutenot placed 18th in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:19.44 — their first sub 3:20 of the season. Both the men’s and women’s relay teams have been doing well this season, and this breakthrough performance is testament to that.
Mazzarella attributed the finish to teammate Moutenot’s anchor leg, who also had a personal record in the 800 meters.
At Monmouth, senior Joan Hales did not get a personal best like last week, but still threw an ECAC cut of 14.42 meters, placing fifth in the weight throw.
In the 3,000 meters, junior Kayla Glynn finished fourth with a time of 11:07.60.
Junior Jon Stouber and senior Andrew Wilson topped off the 5,000 meters at Monmouth — Stouber in first at 15:21.29 and Wilson in second with 15:33.71.
“We had many breakthrough performances (this weekend), and the goal is to keep building on this energy until the end of the season,” Lindsey said.
