College Track and Field
at Monmouth's Blue and White Invitational
Brown wins Long Jump and Triple Jump for Rider men
Men's Sprint Medley sets new Rider Record
Hunter, Ritter and Ransome all win for Rider women
Women's 4x400 relay takes first
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ-The Rider University men's and women's track and field team started the New Year by competing in the Blue and White Invitational hosted by Monmouth University, future members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
The invitational was held all-day Saturday at the Hawks' Field House.
"We had some real good performances to start the season after the holiday break," said head coach Bob Hamer. "It is a good start and I am hopeful that this is the starting point to build and develop toward the championship portion of the season."
For the Rider men, the sprint medley team of junior Joseph Carlin (Staten Island, N.Y./Staten Island Tech.), junior Wilvenson Baptiste (Irvington), sophomore Anthony DeFranco (Berkeley Heights, N.Y./Governor Livingston) and senior Greg Wesh (Hatboro, Pa/Hatboro-Horsham) won with a Rider record time of 3:39.04.
Junior Steven Brown (Penns Grove) was champion in the long jump (7.12m) and triple jump (14.78m), reaching IC4A qualifying marks in both events.
"Steve Brown had a real nice day with two wins and both were IC4A qualifiers," said Hamer. "He is having a great start to his season and he is consistently competing at a high level. This will prepare him well for the championship season."
For the Rider women, freshman Dashana Ransome (Irvington) won the 60-meter hurdles in 8.97, sophomore Ashley Hunter (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) won the 500-meter dash in 1:18.15 and sophomore Emily Ritter (Millsboro, Del./Sussex Tech) placed first in the 1-mile run (5:10.87).
"Dashana Ransome is having a great start to her collegiate career," Hamer said. "She won the hurdles and ran a real nice lead off on the women's sprint medley. It is fun to watch her compete each week."
The women's 4x400-meter relay team of freshman La'tazah Coleman (Middletown, Del./Appoquinimink), freshman Madeline Hummel (Marlton, NJ/Holy Cross), sophomore Ashley Edwards (Westfield) and senior Erin McMullin (Philadelphia, Pa/Nazareth Academy) ran for first with a time of 4:01.83.
Also for the Rider men, junior Matthew Millemann (Hillsborough) placed second in the 500-meter dash (1:06.86), sophomore Anthony Dentino took second in the 1-mile run (1:06.86) and senior James Burroughs (West Orange) placed second in the 60-meter hurdles, running a 8.32 with sophomore Joe Vicini (Millstone/Notre Dame) taking second in the weight toss (16.29m).
The men's 4x400 relay team of freshman Darien Edwards (South Orange/St. Benedicts), freshman Anton Bartsevich (Lawrenceville/Fork Union), freshman Darnell Charles (Mays Landing/Oakcrest) and freshman Tom McLaughlin (Egg Harbor Twp.) placed second in 3:22.91.
Also for the Rider women, Coleman placed second in the 60-meter dash in 7.76 and Edwards was runner up in the 200-meter dash (26.53). Freshman Daria Chadwick (Summit) earned a second place finish in the 60-meter hurdles (9.18) behind Ransome. The women's sprint medley relay team of Hunter, freshman Miranda Roberts (Sewell/Washington Township), Ransome and senior Megan Elgin (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) placed second in 4:01.83.
Roberts also placed second in the pole vault clearing 3.25m and junior Rhea Phipps (Basking Ridge/Ridge) took second in the weight toss (16.86m).
The men's and women's track and field team will travel to West Point, N.Y. next Saturday to compete against Army, Navy and Lehigh.
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