College Track and Field
Rider at Terrier Invitational
Broncs Post Seven IC4A Qualifying Marks

BOSTON, Mass.-- The Broncs competed at the Terrier Invitational Friday and Saturday, hosted by Boston University. The Rider women competed Friday with the Bronc men competing today, posting seven IC4A qualifying marks.

"We had a really great day," said head coach Bob Hamer.  "The team came out and put up some marks that are going to move us up on the conference lists.  We also regained some confidence and know that we have what it takes to compete for a championship."

For Rider, sophomore Steven Brown (Penns Grove) was second in the triple jump with an IC4A qualifying distance of 14.85m and was third in the long jump (6.94m), junior Perry Asare (Lindenwold) was fourth in the long jump (6.69m) and ninth in the triple jump (14.06m), junior Dave Brown (Ewing) was fifth in the 500m with an IC4A qualifying time of 1:04.15 and junior David Hightower (Easton, Pa./Easton) placed fifth in the 60m hurdles (8.21) and 26th in the 200m (22.41).

"Steven wasn't too thrilled with his first two meets of the season," Hamer said.  "He stepped it up today and competed well and he is really working on competing at a higher level on a more consistent basis.  Coach Marchetti has really done a nice job with him."

Freshman George Solujich (East Windsor/Notre Dame) was sixth in the shot put with an IC4A qualifying distance of 15.84m and was 27th in the weight throw (27.03m), junior Greg Wesh (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) was seventh in the 800m with an IC4A qualifying time of 1:52.71, freshman Anthony DeFranco (Berkeley Heights/Governor Livingston) placed 12th in the pole vault (4.25m) and 35th in the 60m (7.18), sophomore Wilvenson Baptiste (Irvington) finished 13th in the 400m (49.55) and 22nd in the 200m (22.26) and freshman Jonathan Galya (Freehold/Freehold Township) was 14th in the high jump (1.90m).

"Wil (Baptiste) has been a solid performer for us the past two seasons," Hamer said.  "He is really starting to mature and grow.  Assistant Dudley (Dorival) has really challenged him the last few weeks and Wil has really stepped up to the plate and performed."

Junior Greg Smith (Milford/Delaware Valley) was 15th in the long jump (6.34m) and 16th in the triple jump (13.09m), sophomore George Osti (Union) was 15th in the weight throw (14.83m) and 19th in the shot put (13.92m) and junior Jorge Merino (Old Bridge) was 18th in the shot put (13.98m) and 20th in the weight throw (14.13m).

Sophomore Joseph Carlin (Staten Island, N.Y./Staten Island Tech.) placed 17th in the 800m with an IC4A qualifying time of 1:54.83, freshman Andrew Pozo (Forked River/Toms River HS South) was 18th in the weight throw (14.39m) and was 26th in the shot put (13.34m) and freshman Nasser Zayer (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) was 22nd in the mile with an IC4A qualifying time of 4:14.25.

Grad student Michael Soroko (Kinnelon) was 28th in the 3000m (8:24.92), junior Sean Donohue (Cliffwood Beach/Matawan) was 36th in the 5000m (14:53.27), sophomore Corey O'Neill (Old Bridge) was 41st in the 3000m (8:54.85), freshman Anthony Dentino (Sewell/Washington Township) placed 43rd in the 5000m (15:03.11), freshman Evan Cornell (Toms River/Toms River HS East) was 48th in the 3000m (8:56.99) and junior Sean McCullough (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./La Salle) was 49th in the 5000m (15:34.55).

Junior Perry Asare (Lindenwold) was 52nd in the 60m (7.30), sophomore Matthew Millemann (Hillsborough) was 53rd in the 200m (22.92), freshman Ariel Caceres (Union City) was 60th in the 3000m (9:04.42), senior Ron Moore (Nashville, Tenn./John Overton) was 60th in the 200m (22.99), sophomore Matt Sampson (Manasquan) was 61st in the 800m (1:59.35) and junior James Burroughs (West Orange) was 63rd in the 200m (23.02).

The women's distance medley relay also ran on Saturday and the team of junior Megan Elgin (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), junior Ashley Hunter (Northampton, Pa./Northampton), senior Kristen Perrine (Brick/Brick Memorial) and senior Heather Giovagnoli (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford) was third with an ECAC qualifying time of 11:58.35.

The 4x400 relay of Baptist, D. Brown, freshman Michael Breen (Hazlet/Raritan) and Wesh placed eighth with an IC4A qualifying time of 3:18.59.

"We competed against a lot of great competition this weekend," Hamer said.  "We wanted to showcase that we are a good team and we have good athletes.  You want to measure yourself against quality competition and that's why we ran in the meet."

Rider graduate Christian Gonzalez (Somerset/Franklin Twp.), running for the New Jersey, New York Track Club, finished the mile in 3:59.98, one of four runners to break the four-minute mile mark.  Gonzalez was Rider's Male Athlete of the Year in 2010-11.

"What Chris did today and what we got to witness was really exciting, not only for me but for his teammates," Hamer said.  "It shows the team that if you are committed and train really hard, you can accomplish great things.  That was a special moment.  He is one of the best athletes to ever go through Rider University."

The Broncs run a men's distance relay at the Armory in New York at the New Balance Invitational February 3 before competing against TCNJ on February 4.

"We're excited for the upcoming meets," Hamer added.  "The TCNJ meet on the 4th especially, we get to experience how much your place of finish matters more so than your specific time or distance.  As a team, we need to perform well and carry that into the MAAC championships."

-RU-