Bryant Track & Field Sets 11 New School Records at NE-10 Championships Saturday

Complete Results /  Bryant Picture Recap 

SMITHFIELD, RI -  It was a record-setting day for the Bryant men's and women's outdoor track & field teams as the Bulldogs set or equaled a total of 12 school records in a tremendous team showing at the 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Track & Field Championships hosted by Bryant University Saturday. 

With near perfect conditions and warm temperatures throughout the day at the beautiful Bryant Track facility, the Bryant women's team placed third in the final overall team standings while the Bulldog men were fourth. 

The Bryant women set an amazing total of nine new school marks with junior sprinter Natasha Stevenson (right) setting two on the day.  Stevenson, a native of Haverhill, Mass. placed second in the women's 100 meter dash in a time of 12.36 seconds, lowering her previous mark of 12.54 seconds set in the first meet of the year back at Rhode Island College.  Stevenson would come back later and take home first place honors in a school record time of 25.79 seconds.  She also played a key role in Bryant's record-setting 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay squads. 

Justine Douvadjian ran a personal-best and school record in the women's 400 meters, placing ninth overall in 61.08 seconds while Nicole Radzik (left)placed fifth in the women's 3,000 meters in 11 minutes, 17.22 seconds and later improved on her school-record time in winning the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase in a record time of 12:08.07. 

In the field events, Samantha Genatossio and Douvadjian set new season marks in placing seventh and eighth in the long jump while Mary Sanker and Carey Fitzgerald took advantage of the excellent conditions to reach new heights in the women's pole vault.  Sanker placed second in the event and in the process, equaled her school record by clearing 8 feet, 6 inches.  Fitzgerald followed Sanker's lead and placed third in the event by matching her at 8-6 as well. 

Amber Torrey had a strong day, establishing a new season-best mark of 105 feet, 9 inches in placing fifth in the women's discus and later taking third in the women's hammer throw at 142-1.  But one of the many highlights on the day for the Bulldogs out at the new throwing area belonged to Rachel Martinich.  One week after setting a new school record with a throw of 113-6 at Brown, Martinich reached back and set the bar even higher with a throw of 121 feet, 7 inches to place third. 

On the men's side, Hafiz Greigre continues to rewrite the Bulldog record book with amazing performances with each and every time he competes.  After a phenomenal indoor season, the Attleboro, Mass. native earned MVP Honors at Saturday's Championship by placing first in both the 100 meters (10.82 seconds) and the 200 meter dash in a season-best time of 21.53 seconds. 

Later on, after setting a new school record in the men's long jump, with a second-place leap of 23 feet, Greigre helped lead the Bryant's men's 4 x 400 meter relay team to a first-place finish in a school record time of 3 minutes, 22 seconds.  The record finish, not only clipped the previous school mark by more than two seconds, but also meets New England qualifying standards.   

Teammate Joe Brennan ran a personal-best by placing seventh in the men's 400 meter dash in 50.54 seconds while James Anacone was 13th with a PR of 54.05.  Zach Perron enjoyed a strong day in the 400m hurdles with a PR time of 57.03, good enough to earn a sixth-place finish.

Freshman Brian Ford ran a tough race in the warm temperatures that hovered around the high 70's for a good part of the day to place fourth in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase with a personal-best time of 10 minutes, 10.51 seconds. 

In the field events, Bryant's Mike Nessralla went out on top in his final conference championship by winning the men's discus throw.  The senior from Halifax, Mass.  won the event with a season's best throw of 147 feet, 11 inches.  Teammate Steve Haskell placed sixth in the discus with a personal best 116-7. 

Just as the women found the near-perfect conditions to their liking, the Bryant men's pole vaults also enjoyed a strong day of competition as more records fell once again.  Junior Rob Schneider, one week from setting a new school record in the pole vault at Brown, set a new school mark by clearing 13 feet, 6 inches to place fourth overall.  Kyle Mason went over the 13-foot mark for the first time to place 5th while Jozef Gallot cleared a new personal best 12 feet, 6 inches to place sixth. 

Bryant School Records Set:

Women
100m - Natasha Stevenson, 12.36
200m - Natasha Stevenson, 25.05
3000m Steeplechase - Nicole Radzik, 12:08.07
400m - Justine Douvadjian, 61.08
4x100m relay - 50.58
4x400m relay - 4:04.39
Pole Vault - Mary Sanker, 8 feet, 6 inches (ties record)
Pole Vault - Carey Fitzgerald, 8 feet, 6 inches (ties record)
Javelin - Rachel Martinich, 121 feet, 7 inches

Men
4x400m relay - 3:22.00
Pole Vault - Rob Schnieder, 13 feet, 6 inches
Long Jump - Hafiz Greigre, 23 feet