POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The men's and women's track and field teams will travel to the New York Armory to compete at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Indoor Track & Field Championships this weekend. The Red Fox women are one of eight teams set to participate, while the men are one of seven teams to compete.
The Marist women's team look to compete against last season's MAAC championship winner, Monmouth University, as well as the remaining six conference teams in attendance. Canisius, Iona, Manhattan, Quinnipiac, Rider and Saint Peters are the other schools set to compete. Last season, the Red Foxes finished in seventh place with 13 points.
During the regular season, the Red Foxes have posted multiple personal best times and school records. “Our women's team has had a great winter, with multiple school records shattered in a variety of events.” Said head coach Pete Colaizzo. “We are pleased with the progress and the great work ethic, and we're hopeful that will carry through into our championship season.”
Junior captain Kristen Traub (Wayne, N.J.) has had a historic season to date, she was the only athlete to qualify for the ECAC Championships in three individual events including the 1,000-meter run, the mile run and the 3,000-meter run. Senior captain Danielle Asaro (Pound Ridge, N.Y.), already the most decorated sprinter in program history, hopes to finish off her indoor career with a scoring place in the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. Asaro is the school-record holder in both events. The 60-meter dash mark of 7.95 seconds was set last year at the MAAC Championships, and the 200-meter dash record of 25.68 seconds was set this past weekend at the Valentine Invitational. Senior captain Michelle Gaye (Greenlawn, N.Y.), the most dominant long distance runner in school history, set the record in the 3,000 run earlier this season with a time of 9:44.48. She is aiming for an ECAC qualifier and top-3 finish in the 5,000-meter run at the MAAC Championships.
The Red Foxes 4X400-meter relay team has broken the school record twice this year, and are hoping for continued improvement this weekend. Freshman Fallon Quigley (Middletown, N.J.) and senior Siobhan Pokorney (Bolton, Mass.) are entered in the high jump, the only field event at the meet. Quigley set the school record in the high jump in December, and Siobhan has had personal-best jumps all season long.
The Marist men's team will look to compete against last season's MAAC championship winner, Monmouth University, and the other five schools competing. Saint Peters, Manhattan, Rider, Iona and Canisius round out the field of competition. Last season, the Red Foxes finished in seventh place with 19 points.
Junior hurdler Alex Cunningham (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) is aiming to advance to the finals and gain some hard-earned points for the Red Foxes. The distance medley relay team of Steve Morrison (Poughquag, N.Y.), Mark Vuono (Coventry, R.I.), Nate Lungarini (West Simsbury, C.T.) and Ken Walshak (Babylon, N.Y.) has its sights set on an IC4A mark in the event. Morrison (1000-meter run) is the lone IC4A qualifier on the men's side so far this winter.
The Red Foxes young distance runners are hoping for top-10 finishes in their respective events. Leading the way are sophomore Spencer Johnson (Bristol, Conn.), freshman Steven Rizzo (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) and freshman Dietrich Mosel (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) in the 5,000-meter run, and sophomore Saad Baig (Staten Island, N.Y.) and sophomore Stefan Morton (Emerson, N.J.) in the 3,000-meter run.
The MAAC Championship meet will take place at the New Balance Armory Track & Field Center in New York, N.Y. on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 3:45 p.m.
