The Monmouth Hawks track and field team returned to their home track at the OceanFirst Bank Center this weekend on Jan. 26 and 27, while some of the Hawks traveled to State College, PA to compete in the Penn State National Invitational.
While in State College, the men and women’s track team broke three school records. Graduate student Chris Marco and senior Allie Wilson broke school records in the mile, while senior Damoah Kutu-Akoi broke a school record in the 60-meter dash. The women’s distance medley relay (DMR) team of juniors Amber Stratz, Chandi Piiru, Brianna Stratz, and Wilson also won and broke records at the Penn State National Invitational.
Wilson ran the mile in 4:47.22, placing sixth and Marco ran the fourth fastest time in program history with a mile time of 4:06.49. Kutu-Akoi placed second overall in the 60-meter dash with a record breaking time of 7.54, she also placed third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.07. The women’s DMR team won with a new school record of 11:26.
Sophomore Ryan Rafferty finished fourth in the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:28.43, and qualified for the IC4A Championships. Fifth year Dylan Capwell ran the 800-meter in 1:48.47, placing second behind last year’s 800-meter runner up.
Senior Bryan Sosoo came in fourth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.76 seconds as well as placing seventh in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.29 seconds. Junior Bryan Cabral placed fourth in the open 800-meter run by finishing in 1:53.81. Fifth year Malcolm Chavis placed third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.35 seconds.
For field events, senior Corey Murphy finished as the top collegian in the shot put event with a throw mark of 60’8.5”. In weight throwing, fifth year Tim Wilson placed forth with a toss of 65’6.25.
Although records were broken in State College, the Hawks were also at home participating in the Monmouth Winter Collegiate Invitational.
The Hawks performance in the field events were nothing short of impressive. Fifth year Casey Sturts won the women’s pole vault by clearing 11’3.75”, junior Chloe Angelini won the high jump with a height of 5’3”, junior Allison Taub won the shot put with a mark of 44’7”, qualifying her for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships, while junior Onnie Coles finished second with a throw of 40’7”.
Senior Kennisha Okereke placed first in weight throwing with a throw a 57’6.5” and senior Alicia Hester threw a 54’6.5”, placing her in second. Both girls surpassed the qualifying mark of the ECAC Championship. Senior Vincent Santarsiero won the men’s weight throw with a mark of 55’2”.
Sophomore Brandon Davis and junior Andrew Tummino both finished as the top collegian finishers in the shot put with IC4A qualifying throws of 54’8.25” and 53’8.5”.
Junior Ashley McKinnon and sophomore Mariah Hubbard both finished as top collegian finishers with jumps of 38’.75” and 37’.5.” For the men’s high jump, sophomore Ben Pierce won by clearing 6’2.25.”
Junior Darius Howe won the triple jump with a mark of 46’4.75”, beating his fellow junior teammate, Michael Pepper, by half an inch.
The Hawks did just as well in the track events. Freshman Iyanna Jenkins won the 60-meter dash in 7.88, beating fellow sophomore Emily Schroepfer (8.03), sophomore Dayna Luma won the 800 meters with a time of 2:29.3, and senior Nick McFarland won the 1000 meters and qualified for the IC4A Championships with a time of 2:30.02.
Freshman Tim Jacoutot finished the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.72 seconds, winning the event, senior Jake Howell won the mile with a time of 4:26.29, junior Eric Moul won the 400-meter dash in 51.70 seconds, and sophomore Viviane Orleans won the 60-meter hurdles in 8.92 seconds.
In the 60-meter dash, it was a close call between freshman Joseph Miguerson and sophomore teammate Pete Guerriero. Miguerson won the event with a time of 7.01, just beating out Guerriero, who ran a 7.06.
“We knew we need to move ourselves forward in every way this week and make the most of the opportunity in front of us, both at home in a smaller meet and for our group at Penn State facing national caliber competition,” Head Coach Joe Compagni said. “We have a lot of work to do still, but in most areas we took strong steps forward for sure.”
This upcoming weekend of Feb. 2 and 3, the Hawks will be split up again. Some of the team will be going to Boston to compete in the Crimson Elite at Harvard University, some will compete at the Scarlet & White Invitational at Boston University, and some will compete at the Villanova Invitational at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, NY.
PHOTO COURTESY of B51/Mark Brown
