Outdoor College Track & Field
Rider Men 2nd / Women 3rd at Lafayette 7-Way Invitational
Giovagnoli - Rider Record in the 3000m / Callan Rider Record in the Steeplechase

EASTON, Pa.--Both the Rider men's and women's outdoor track and field teams opened the 2010 spring schedule at the Lafayette Seven-Way Invitational Saturday.

For the Rider women, senior Alicia Price (Voorhees/Eastern) won the hammer (50.42m), won the shot put with an ECAC qualifying distance of 13.70m and was 12th in the discus (31.27m) with senior Jennifer Alksmant (Forked River/Lacey Township) winning the discus (39.77m), placing sixth in the shot put (10.52m) and finishing 12th in the hammer (34.61m).

Junior Shaylah Counts (Newark/Malcolm Shabazz) won the 100 meter (12.70) and was third in the 200 meter (26.31) and junior Chelsea Callan (Hazlet/Raritan) won the steeplechase in a Rider record time of 11:14.04.

"It was an improvement on the women's side over last year," said head coach Bob Hamer.  "We finished third last year as well but we are definitely a more well balanced team."

For the Rider men, freshman Jammar Lim (Ewing) won the 400m hurdles (55.50) and was sixth in the 110m hurdles (15.76), freshman Jorge Merino (Old Bridge) won the shot put (14.97m) and was second in the discus (47.33m) and junior John Clark (Pennsville) won the discus (49.60m), placed second in the hammer (47.77m) and was fourth in the shot put (13.91m).

"I think that we have shown a lot of improvement on the men's side from last year to this year," said Hamer.  "We had to do a lot of work to get from our seventh place here last year to be second and I am really pleased with the performance."

Also for the Bronc women, freshman Caitlin Vanek (Riegelsville, Pa./Wilson) finished second in the long jump (5.14m), fourth in the triple jump (10.35m), seventh in the high jump (1.50m) and seventh in the 100m hurdles (16.16), freshman Mia Riley (West Caldwell/James Caldwell) finished second in the 100m (12.82) and fourth in the 200m (26.57), sophomore Kristen Perrine (Brick/Brick Memorial) placed third in the 1500m (4:53.45), junior Johanna Clarke (Laurelton, N.Y./Mary Louis Academy) finished third in the 800m (2:20.79) and sophomore Heather Giovagnoli (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford) finished sixth in the 3000m with a Rider record time of 10:27.33.

"This year the big difference for the women's team is that we have some really solid sprinters that have stepped up and have really done a great job," Hamer said.  "They have really made a bigger impact then they have in the past, and with the throwers (Alicia and Jen) winning three out of the four events, that is definitely a great thing for us.  I am really excited about the direction of the program."

Also for the Rider men, freshman James Burroughs (West Orange) was second in the 400m hurdles (55.95) and third in the 110m hurdles (15.09), freshman Greg Wesh (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) finished second in the 800m (1:56.21) and fifth in the 1500m (4:03.01), freshman David Hightower (Easton, Pa./Easton), running in his hometown, finished second in the 110m hurdles (15.08) and seventh in the 200m (22.92), freshman Perry Asare (Lindenwold) finished third in the long jump (6.56m), fourth in the triple jump (13.59m) and 26th in the 200m (24.85), freshman Daequan Kim (Bordentown) was third in the 200m (22.37) and fourth in the 100m (11.24) and freshman Niko Sakellis (Clark/Arthur L. Johnson) was third in the javelin (56.94m).

"We have a full and complete team," Hamer added about the men.  "We are scoring in all different areas.  We came here to accomplish a lot and give every one confidence going forward.  We are going to be very competitive and it sets us up for another opportunity down the road when we have some scoring meets to prepare ourselves for the conference championships."

The women's 4x100 relay Counts, Riley, freshman Ashley Hunter (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) and Vanek was second with a time of 49.39 with the men's 4x100 of Lim, Kim, Burroughs and Hightower also placing second with a time of 42.84.

East Stroudsburg won the men's competition with Saint Joseph's winning on the women's side.

Rider completes at the 28-team Colonial Relays in Williamsburg, Virginia, hosted by the College of William and Mary April 2-3.

-RU-