Friday, April 3, 2009

BULLDOG TRACK AND FIELD TRAVELS TO STONEHILL FOR SKYHAWK INVITATIONAL SATURDAY

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- The Bryant University track and field teams are back in action this weekend as they head to Easton, Mass. on Saturday, April 4 to compete in the Skyhawk Invitation at Stonehill College.

The teams return to the track after a successful afternoon hosting the Bryant Invitational this past Saturday.

The men's team put on a strong showing in its only home event of the year, with Thomas O'Connor (Westwood, MA) leading the way with a second-place finish in the men's 400 meters with a time of 48.95. The time was about two seconds off the Bryant school record but earned the sophomore a qualifying time for the New England Championships in May.  Teammate Alex Engel (Spencer, MA) came in third in 49.21, also a New England qualifying time.  The two runners were joined by Mike DiBella (Upper Saddle River, NJ) and Andrew Fitzgerald (New Hartford, CT) to earn first place in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:20.90, qualifying the quartet for the New Englands as well.

On the women's side, Stephanie Kirk (Pompton Lakes, NJ) took third place in the women's 100-meter hurdles, finishing in a time of 17.12.  Sherika Nicholas (East Patchogue, NY) was Bryant's top finisher in the 100m, taking 11th overall in 14.01.  In the field events, Kimberly Warner (Shrewsbury, MA) placed fourth in the women's long jump with a best mark of 15-02.25 while freshman Amy Hutchinson (Exeter, RI) took fourth in the triple jump (33-00.25).