Track Teams Look To Build On Solid Indoor Season Finishes

Please note that the numbers in parenthesis indicate the season best for the respective student-athlete

Springfield, MA --- This weekend both men’s and women’s outdoor track teams will compete at the New England Division III regionals hosted by Springfield College. The men’s squad looks to build off of the indoor season’s 11th place finish while freshman Mara Kralian (Grafton, MA) and the women’s team hope to improve being tied for 18th in the indoor season.

Kralian, who has had a phenomenal indoor season, will run in the 100 (12.63) and 200 (25.74) meter dashes as well as compete in the long jump (5.37 meters). Kralian broke all three school marks within the last month and she topped the competition in last week’s New England Alliance meet as she earned the best finish in each event. Kralian was also 0.10 meters away from qualifying for the Division III Outdoor Championships in the long jump at the Jim Sheehan Invitational.

Sophomore Andrea Ouellette (Salisbury, MA) looks to improve upon her mark in the triple jump (11.36m). At the Sheehan Invitational, Ouellette eclipsed the school record in the triple jump and she also qualified provisionally for the NCAA’s. As of right now, Ouellette is ranked 31st and she is only .22 meters away from breaking the top 10. Ouellette will also compete in the 100 meter hurdles (17.07) and the long jump.

Freshman Sarah Rafferty (Uxbridge, MA) will compete along with Kralian in the 100 (12.92) and 200 meter dashes (27.03) as well as the long jump (4.54m).

The 4x100 meter relay team may also run this weekend, but the squad may hold off until the All-New England meet next week or the ECACs in two weeks. The team of Kralian, Rafftery, Ouellette and freshman Kristina Lisacki (Woburn, MA) has broken the school record three times this season with its best time clocked last week at 49.89.

In the javelin throw, freshman teammates Rachael Baker (Mystic, CT; 34.15m) and Brittany Stoddard (Orange, MA; 35.52m) look to improve upon their marks. The 4x800 team of junior Kara Antrim (Rowley, MA), sophomore Rachael Sullivan (Ipswich, MA) along with freshman teammates Maura Withington (Walpole, MA) and Danielle Clifford (Attleboro, MA) will attempt to break the school record in the event.

On the men’s side, the squad will be paced by freshman standout Ian Fields (Shrewsbury, MA) and senior captain Mark Johnson (Woburn, MA).

Fields was outstanding last week as the paced the men’s fourth place finish at the MASCAC championships as he walked away with a 400 meter conference title (50.17) and he took second in the 200 (22.46). Johnson will run in the 100 (11.37) and compete in the javelin throw and the long jump (56.47m) for the Lancers.

The duo will also try to do some damage in the sprint relays. Johnson and Fields along with sophomore RJ Stahelski (S. Deerfield, MA) and senior Chris Mancuso (Rowley, MA) will run in the 4 x 400 relay and the pair as well as senior Matt Leeds (Bellingham, MA) and freshman Adam Correia (Fall River, MA) will go in the 4x100 team.

Leeds rounds out the individuals competing for WSC as he will go in the long jump (6.37m) and the triple jump (13.06m).

Junior Jim Macera (Paxton, MA) qualified in the hammer throw, but he ended his season last week after he earned All-MASCAC honors in the event.

Please check the website over the next few days as the results become posted.