College Track & Field
Rider at Larry Ellis Memorial Invitational
Price (ECAC) / Gonzalez (IC4A) qualifying times highlight Day One
Hightower (IC4A) / Wesh win in 1500m highlight Day Two

PRINCETON--The Rider University men's and women's track and field teams are competing this weekend at the Larry Ellis Memorial Invitational at William Weaver Stadium, hosted by Princeton University.  "We had a lot of great performances on a day where the weather wasn't very cooperative," said head coach Bob Hamer.  "It was still a great environment and our athletes did very well."

For the Rider men freshman Greg Wesh (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) won the 1500m (3:56.43) and was 16th in the 800m (1:53.29), freshman Jammar Lim (Ewing) was fourth in the long jump (6.93m) and freshman David Hightower (Easton, Pa./Easton) was sixth in the 110m hurdles in an IC4A qualifying time of 14.55 and finished 29th in the 400m hurdles (57.53).

For the Rider women, senior Alicia Price (Voorhees/Eastern) was second in the hammer with an ECAC qualifying distance of 51.50m, freshman Ashley Hunter (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) placed third in the 400m hurdles (1:04.19) and 17th in the 100m hurdles (15.83) and freshman  Erin Smith (Columbia, Pa./Hempfield) was fourth in the javelin (36.76m).

"The field events really stepped up," Hamer said.  The throws had several 'PRs' (personal records); on the track, the hurdles did well, the distance runs were good, things are starting to come together."

Also for the Bronc men, freshman Daequan Kim (Bordentown) was eighth in the 100m (11.04) and 10th in the 200m (22.07), junior Christian Gonzalez (Somerset/Franklin Twp.) was ninth in the 1,500 meter (3:47.43), qualifying for IC4As, freshman James Burroughs (West Orange) was 12th in the 400m hurdles (55.63) and 16th in the 110m hurdles (15.20), senior Brandon Wolf (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) placed 12th in the hammer (51.89m) and freshman Greg Smith (Milford/Delaware Valley) placed 16th in the triple jump (12.58m).

Also for the Bronc women, freshman Mia Riley (West Caldwell/James Caldwell) was fifth in the 100m (12.54) and 36th in the 200m (27.19), sophomore Heather Giovagnoli (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford) was seventh in the 1500m (4:47.29) and 35th in the 800m (2:23.22), freshman Jillian Shutt (Lawrenceville, Pa./Williamson) placed ninth in the 1500m (4:50.49) and junior Shaylah Counts (Newark/Malcolm Shabazz) placed ninth in the 100m (12.77) and 21st in the 200m (26.35).

Other men's results included sophomore Ron Moore (Nashville, Tenn./John Overton) placing 17th in the 110m hurdles (15.22) and 22nd in the 400m hurdles (56.83), sophomore David South (Sergeantsville/Hunterdon Central) was 21st in the 800m (1:58.85), freshman Richard Verrall (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) was 24th in the hammer (37.46m), freshman Will Gomez (East Windsor/Notre Dame) was 24th in the javelin (42.02m), freshman John Hill (Voorhees/Eastern) was 28th in the 1500m (4:14.78), freshman Will Daley (Birdsboro, Pa./Twin Valley) was 29th in the 1500m (4:15.08), freshman Josh Frake (Bristol, Pa./Bristol) was 31st in the 1500m (4:21.32), sophomore Mike Bartoli (Millstone/Allentown) was 34th in the 400m hurdles (1:02.65) and freshman Nick Dorkin (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y./Briarcliff Manor) was 35th in the 100m (12.00) and 38th in the 200m (24.03).

Other women's results included freshman Megan Adebamowo (Manchester) placing 11th in the hammer (11.01m), senior Tara Hansen (Beachwood/Toms River HS South) was 11th in the javelin (32.83m), senior Jennifer Alksmant (Forked River/Lacey Township) was 13th in the hammer (35.48m) and 23rd in the discus (26.40m), freshman Catherine Remaley (Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton) placed 14th in the hammer (34.74m) and 15th in the discus (31.70m) and senior Dominique Carnevale (Oceanport/Shore Regional) was 15th in the 3000m (11:05.01).

Freshman Caitlin Vanek (Riegelsville, Pa./Wilson) was 16th in the triple jump (10.25m), freshman Erin Fitzgibbons (Sayreville) was 17th in the 3000m (11:09.89), freshman Krista Musinski (West Pittston, Pa./Wyoming Area Secondary) was 18th in the triple jump (10.13m) and 24th in the long jump (4.50m), sophomore Kelli Kaelin (Little Egg Harbor/Pinelands Regional) placed 18th in the 3000m (11:18.57), freshman Erin McMullin (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) was 20th in the 400m (59.38) and 25th in the 200m (26.50),  freshman Nicole Tassello (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) was 20th in the 3000m (11:30.01), freshman Lauren Findley (Hallstead, Pa./Blue Ridge) was 22nd in the 400m (1:00.12), freshman Paige McAtee (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) was 23rd in the 1500m (5:08.58), junior Jillian Rubbico (Plains, Pa./Coughlin) was 23rd in the 100m (13.36), junior Johanna Clarke (Laurelton, N.Y./Mary Louis Academy) was 23rd in the 800m (2:21.09), freshman Jordyn Horning (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley) was 24th in the 400m (1:00.30) and 40th in the 200m (27.69), junior Chelsea Callan (Hazlet/Raritan) placed 28th in the 3,000m (11:38.56),

Sophomore Kristen Perrine (Brick/Brick Memorial) was 31st in the 800m (2:22.87), senior Kelly Dissinger (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield)  was 36th in the 400m (1:04.84), freshman Victoria Lima (Westerly, R.I./Westerly) was 44th in the 800m (2:30.46) and sophomore Laura Staples (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) was 47th in the 800m (2:33.37) and senior Kelsey Kohler (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) was 51st in the 5,000 meter (18:38.89).

The women's 4x400 relay of Counts, Riley, Findley and Hunter was third with a time of 3:56.93.

The women's 4x100 relay of Counts, Hunter, Riley and McMullin placed fourth with a time of 48.76.

The men's 4x100 relay of Lim, Kim, Burroughs and Hightower finished seventh with a time of 42.63.

The men's 4x400 relay of Moore, Kim, Burroughs and Hightower was 11th (3:26.64).

Rider competes at the Penn Relays April 22-24 and at the TCNJ Invitational April 24.

The Broncs host the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships May 1-2.

"We've been a little inconsistent in the first three or four meets of the spring," Hamer said.  "I think we really took that next step this weekend.  We responded with some solid efforts across the entire team.  Even if they didn't get the time that they were shooting for, the effort was there and as coaches, that is what we are looking for.  The times and distances will come if the effort is there week in and week out and you really saw this weekend the potential that the team has.  This was certainly a step in the right direction."

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