College Track and Field
Rider at 139th IC4A/32nd ECAC Championships
Ritter / Mateescu Rider Records and All-East
PRINCETON—The Rider University men's and women's track and field teams are competing at the 139th annual IC4A Track and Field Championships and the 32nd ECAC Track and Field Championships, hosted by Princeton University at Weaver Stadium May 15-17.
“This was a great night for Rider distance running,” said head coach Bob Hamer. “Emily and Niky totally rocked it. It is a tremendous accomplishment to finish runner-up in a meet of this caliber.”
On Friday for the Bronc women, senior Emily Ritter (Millsboro, Del./Sussex Tech) ran the 3000 steeplechase in a Rider record time of 9:55.15, placing second to earn All-East honors.
Junior Nicolette Mateescu (Kendall Park/South Brunswick) placed runner-up in the 10,000 with a Rider record time of 35:10.73, missing first place by exactly two seconds, also earning All-East honors.
“Niky has been tremendous this year,” Hamer said. “She has improved so much due to her hard work, commitment and dedication. In her race, she caught the Army runner with about 300 meters left but her opponent just had a little bit left and won by exactly two seconds.”
Ritter's time in the 3000 SC is eighth best nationally this season. “Emily is on a completely different level right now,” Hamer added. “To race a time that is in the top 10 in the NCAA right now is incredible. I'm proud of her effort tonight, she ran a perfect race. She is excited for the NCAA Regional in two weeks.”
Also for the Bronc women, freshman Stephanie Lombardo (Buffalo, N.Y./Cheektowaga) finished 14th in the discus with a throw of 137'7”.
For the Rider men on Friday, senior Dylan Hallahan (Wrightstown/Northern Burlington Regional) graduated in the morning and then wrapped his Rider career with a personal best 9:08.91 in the 3000 steeplechase, placing 15th.
“Dylan ran very well tonight,” Hamer said. “He improved a lot during his career. We asked him to try the steeple a few years ago and he embraced it. He has been a big time contributor for the program and had a great career.”
Senior Anthony Dentino (Sewell/Washington Township) ran 31:37.72 in the 10,000, placing 17th
“Anthony had a tough race tonight,” Hamer said. “He had a great career and made a lot of contributions to the program. He will be remembered as one of the greatest distance guys to come through Rider.”
The bulk of the action will take place on Saturday. The Rider men will have senior Andrew Pozo (Forked River/Toms River HS South) participating in the hammer throw and discus, junior Charles Wilks (Secane, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) competes in the discus, sophomore Wil Asamoah (Edison) runs the 110 hurdles, sophomore Devon Jefferson (Franklin Park/Franklin) competes in both the 110 hurdles and 400 hurdles and freshman Christin Patrick (East Orange/Seton Hall Prep.) competes in the 110 hurdles.
Freshman Anfernee Joseph (Somerset/Franklin), sophomore Scott Wood (Florence/Holy Cross), junior Tom McLaughlin (Egg Harbor), sophomore Johnathan Jackson (Roselle/Magnet), junior Darien Edwards (South Orange/St. Benedict's) and senior Derek Lake (Middletown, N.Y./Pine Bush) are all listed as Rider's qualifiers in the 4x800 relay.
For the Bronc women on Saturday, junior Madeline Hummel (Marlton/Holy Cross), junior Stephanie Welte (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Basil's Academy), sophomore Juliann Brand (Egg Harbor) and freshman Victoria Brewer (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) compete in the 4x800 relay.
The competition wraps up on Sunday.
On Sunday for the Rider men, Patrick and sophomore Kyle Bryant (Cherry Hill/Cherry Hill HS East) compete in the high jump, senior George Solujich (East Windsor/Notre Dame) participates in the shot put and sophomore Erik Adamcik (Hampton/North Hunterdon), along with senior Anthony DeFranco (Berkeley Heights/Governor Livingston) compete in the pole vault.
On Sunday for the Bronc women, Lombardo comes back to compete in her second event, the shot put with senior Taylor Harmon (Robbinsville) participating in the high jump.
Also on Sunday, the finals in the men's 110 hurdles and 400 hurdles, along with the finals of both the men's and women's 4x800 relay will be contested.
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