Sports

Track Excels at Millrose Games & Great Dane Classic

On Jan. 27, the Hawks competed at the 114th Millrose Games at the Fort Washington Armory in Manhattan. Senior Alexis Uzoaru and Fifth-year Students Chibuzo Amonu and Prisca Blamon competed in the elite weight throw event. Uzaoaru, earned fifth place with a throw of 16.81 meters. Following her, Chibuzo Amonu threw 16.12 meters to clinch eighth place; and Prisca Blamon earned tenth place with a throw of 15.22 meters. 

The next day on Jan. 28, the team also competed at the Great Dane Classic. The meet took place at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, hosted by the University of Albany. Head Coach Mike Nelson said, “Another fantastic effort by our Hawk track & field program. We did some damage to the record books today with 13 new top-ten performances and a freshman record.”

The sophomores had a strong showing with Katie Locker and Seb Reed winning their races. Locker ran 2:11.19 in the 800m and Reed clinched the 3000m with a time of 8:21.11. Sophomore Stone Caraccio also ran a fast mile in 4:11.49 to become eighth all-time in Monmouth history. 

In the highly competitive pole vault, Sophomore Dalton Yeust jumped 4.65 meters to get second place and Freshman Abby Boggs jumped 3.50 meters to tie the freshman record. 

For the sprinting events, Freshman Yasmeen Tinsley earned fourth place in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.81, for her successful first season. Senior Mohamed Diagouraga ran the 60-meter hurdles in a fast time of 8.20 to earn second place at the meet and eighth in school history. In the longer sprints, Sophomore Brianna Rubio ran 25.41 in the 200m to earn third place at the meet. 

For the distance events, Senior Michael Pavicic for the first time in his collegiate career, broke fifteen minutes in the 5k for a time of 14:58 in fourth place. In addition, Freshman Luke Miller also had a successful 3000m, running in 8:32.09 to earn the university’s new freshman record. In the women’s events, Senior Ashley Navarro ran 4:50.53 in the mile to become fifth in school history placing second at the meet. Following in the women’s 3000m, Senior Keellyn Cummings ran 10:05 to earn third place at the meet. 

Following her performance at the Armory the night before, Prisca Blamon won the shotput event with a throw of 13.87 meters. Meanwhile for the men’s shotput, Freshman A.J. Bailor led the team earning third place with a throw of 14.93. In the weight throw, Junior Mujeeb Ali earned fifth place with a throw of 16.44 meters.

Head Coach Nelson summarized the past weekend, “We still have more in us and we are looking forward to our next competition. We are headed in the right direction as we get closer to the championship portion of our season.” Up next, the Hawks will head up to Boston to compete in two competitive meets: the Harvard University Crimson Invitational and Boston University’s Scarlet and White Invite from Feb. 4-5.