MAAC Sends 22 Athletes to Compete at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East Preliminaries
MAAC Sports
EDISON, N.J.- 22 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Student-Athletes will compete at the 2015 NCAA East Preliminaries on May 28-30 in Jacksonville, Florida at Hodges Stadium. From the preliminaries the finalists will compete in the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track & Field Championships taking place from June 10-13 in Eugene, Oregon.
Iona had seven athletes qualify to compete in the Eastern Preliminary round. Sophomore Brandon Allen and junior Xavier King will both compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. NCAA Women’s Cross Country Champion Kate Avery will participate in the 5,000 meter run. Graduate Rosie Clarke will be running in the 1,500 meter run, while Kieran Clements, Andrew Kowalsky and Gilbert Kirui will all be competing in the 10,000-meter. Kirui will also be participating in the 5,000-meter run.
Manhattan is sending six athletes down to Jacksonville to compete in this weekend. Love Litzell and Blerim Pocesta will be competing in the men’s hammer throw, while Lydia Wehrli will be competing in the women’s hammer throw. Phil Ragan also qualified for the men’s javelin. First-time participants include Clement Gicquel in the men’s high jump and Greg Perrier in the men’s 800 meters.
Marist is sending Michelle Gaye to compete in the 10,000 meter run. Gaye is the first athlete in Marist women’s track & field history to qualify for NCAA Regionals in any event.
Monmouth has six athletes competing in this weekend’s preliminaries. Taylor Bernstein will compete in two events, the shot put and discus throw. Bernstein was also named the 2015 Men’s Outdoor Field Most Outstanding Performer Senior Zach Torrell will be participating in the javelin throw. Torrell qualifies for his second straight NCAA First Round. The 2015 Men’s Outdoor Track Most Outstanding Performer Dylan Capwell will be competing in the 800 meter run. Jalen Walker is participating in the 110 hurdles, which he won at the MAAC Championship. The Hawks are sending two women participants this year. Kelsey Reese will be participating in the javelin throw while Taylor Johnson will be competing in the discus throw. Johnson was named 2015 Women’s Outdoor Field Most Outstanding Performer
Quinnipiac University will be sending Shameal Samuel to the preliminaries this weekend. Samuels will compete in the 400 meter run and becomes just the second Quinnipiac track and field student-athlete to advance to a NCAA Regional event.
Rider University will be sending Senior Emily Ritter to compete in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA East Regional. Ritter is the MAAC Champion in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and was named the 2015 Women’s Outdoor Track Most Outstanding Performer.
The events will begin on Thursday May 28 at 4:30 pm. For more information on the schedule of events for the 2015 NCAA East Preliminaries click here.