The Monmouth University men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams won the 2015 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday at The Armory, repeating as conference champions.
The men posted 220 points to claim victory, while the women totaled 166.50 points to win. Sophomore Dylan Capwell was named MAAC Most Outstanding Track Performer, while Head Coach Joe Compagni was named both men’s and women’s MAAC Coach of the Year.
“I know it’s a cliché to say this was a total team effort, but this was absolutely a total team effort,” Compagni said. “Our men and women scored in virtually every event. We had 30 men and 32 women score for us, and our team brought some great energy that was crucial to our success.”
On the men’s side, Capwell broke a MAAC record, and ran the fourth fastest time in the nation in the 800, running 1:46.82 to win the event with ease. Senior Andrew Langille took fourth in the 800 running 1:51.45.
Senior captain Ben Boyd won the 400 in 47.91 seconds breaking the MAAC Championships record set in 2007, and was joined by sophomore Malcolm Chavis who took fifth with a time of 49.43. Boyd also won the 200, finishing in 21.81 seconds.
Junior Eric Kahana took second at 22.10 seconds, and junior Ahmier Dupree placed fifth at 22.42 seconds. Dupree won the 60 meter dash, running 6.84, a new meet record. He was trailed by freshman Bryan Sosoo, who took third at 6.92. Kahana scored in both the 60 meter dash and hurdles.
“We’ve felt all season that we were going to be a great team. This weekend, we took a massive step towards accomplishing the goals we set at the beginning of the season, showing that we are and will continue to be a great team moving forward.” Boyd said.
MU had three scores in the 60 hurdles, including a second place finish from junior Geordan Ferguson and third place from senior Jalen Walker, who ran in 8.00 and 8.01 respectively.
Senior captain Khari Bowen won the 5k with a time of 14:37.96. Sophomore Matt Nelson finished fourth in the 5k. The men’s DMR took second with a time of 10:31.51, while the men’s 4×400 group of Capwell, Boyd, Chavis, and junior John Malespina won the event at 3:16.74.
In men’s field events, junior Liam Vogt took second in the long jump with a mark of 23’2”, and senior Joey Marini finished fourth at 22’4.5”. Marini won the triple jump with a personal best jump of 50’, and was followed by Sosoo who took third in the event and Vogt, who was eighth.
MU took third through fifth in the weight throw, as senior captain Wulf Sutcliffe, junior Spencer Dimock and senior captain Taylor Bernstein took the three spots. Four of the top eight spots in the shot put belonged to MU, led by freshman Corey Murphy finishing second with a throw of 54’ 10.25”. Bernstein joined junior Tevin Kirby-Stewart and Dimock in scoring in the shot.
Sophomore Bobby Fisher, junior Tyler Poland and junior Colton Lambert all were able to score for MU in the pole vault, with Fisher at 14’9” for fifth place.
Senior Erik Anderson finished third in the high jump at 6’8.25”, and Marini just behind him in fourth.
For the women, MU had four competitors finish in the top eight in the 400. Senior captain Kate Frye came in second running 55.51, and sophomore Tionna Garner in third running 56.79. Sophomore Nia Driver and sophomore McKenna Coakley also scored. Finishing eighth, sophomore Andrea Olsen was the only Hawk to score in the 200.
“I am really impressed with how everyone came together and supported each other when it mattered most,” Frye said. “Everyone really gave it their all it showed how tough and deep our team really is.”
Senior Mel Lewis took second in the 60 hurdles at 8.81 seconds, and was followed by Olsen in sixth, and sophomore Stephanie Sparacino in eighth. Freshman Domoah Kutu-Akoi and senior Captain Lauren McDonald finished four and five in the 60 dash, running 7.75 and 7.82 seconds respectively.
Four more women claimed top eight spots in the 800, including freshman Allie Wilson, who took second in 2:11.86. Sophomore Jenna Cupp finished fourth, and junior Kendal Hand was fifth. Sophomore Abby Baker took third in the mile, completing it in 5:22.92. The women’s DMR (distance medley relay) group of Wilson, Cupp, sophomore Ashley Grenger and Hand claimed second in 11:58.99.
In the women’s field events senior captain Taylor Johnson won the shot put, with a throw of 43’6”. Senior Amber Brown took fourth in the event. Junior Aziza Ahmed came in second place in the weight throw with a throw of 52’ 1.25”, and Johnson claimed fourth.
Freshman Casey Harewood took third in the high jump, clearing 5’5”. Kutu-Akoi was first in the long jump, jumping 18’10” in the event.
Sophomore Casey Sturts took second in the pole vault with a mark of 11’3.75”, while three other Hawks scored. Senior Kim Price and junior Victoria Miskel came in three and five in the women’s triple jump, with Price jumping 36’5”.
A total of 40 Hawks were named to the MAAC All-Academic teams. Saturday’s championships mark the 40th and 41st conference titles for the program since 1998, and the 37th and 38th total Coach of the Year honors for Coach Compagni and his staff.
