Track and field is one of those sports that do not get a lot of media attention. However, the men and women who are competing on this year's indoor squad have enjoyed a successful season so far and are looking to put make a mark for themselves at the upcoming (February 10) Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Championships.
In last weekend's Wesleyan Invitational, a total of 15 student-athletes finished among the top 10 in 22 events. The men's 400 and 800 relay teams each took fifth while the women's 200 and 800 teams were fourth with the 400 team capturing eighth.
Led by senior tri-captains Jeff Morse (Westford, MA/Westford ), Amy Slabich (Paxton, MA/Wachusett) and Dennis Sanabia (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville), the Dutchmen finished fourth of 16 teams while the Dutchwomen took ninth of the 16 competiting schools.
Sophomore Justin Sievert (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz) won the shot put at the Wesleyan Invy with a throw of 14.42 meters. For Sievert it was his third trip to the winner's circle this season. Sievert captured the 35-pound weight throw and the shot put in the opening dual meet against Hamilton. He also took second in the shot at the Capital District Invitational on January 20.
Katie Higley (Raymond, ME/Westbrook) finished in the top 10 in two events at Wesleyan. The sophomore placed sixth in the 400 and eighth in the 800. She also ran the second leg of the 200 meter relay and the opening leg of the 800. Highley was among the winners in the Hamilton meet as she captured the 400 meter dash and placed second in the 500 meter at the Capital District Meet.
The women's side of the Capital District Meet, which did not have team scoring, saw sophomore Katie Round (Foster, RI/LaSalle) bring home Union's only title as she captured the 45 meter race. Meanwhile, four Dutchwomen took home second place honors. Besides Higley, sophomore Sarah Peach (Cranston, RI/LaSalle), classmate Nicole Encarnacao (Wakefield, MA/Wakefield) and Slabich finished as runner-up in the weight throw, the shot, the 500 meter and the 1000, respectively.
All four women won their individual events against Hamilton and were joined in the winner's circle by Kaity Elias (Williamstown, MA/Mt. Greylock)-who won both the long jump and the 50 meter hurdles-and freshman Lisa Capomaccio (Wakefield, MA/Wakefield).
The Wesleyan Invitational saw Slabich take third in the 1000 meter and ninth in the 3000 meter, Elias take fourth in the 55 hurdles and seventh in the triple jump and Encarnacao place fifth in the shot.
Sophomore Ashley Rinear (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown) also finished in the top 10 at Wesleyan by capturing eighth in the high jump.
Union's men got off to a solid start in the Hamilton meet and have maintained that momentum. Junior Kris Darlington (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem) captured first place honors in both the high and triple jumps against the Continentals while freshman Mark Sollohub (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) won the pole vault and junior Jerald Whittington (Chicago, IL/Hales Franscian) took home the gold in the 50 meter hurdles.
Sophomore Steve Erickson (Braintree, MA/Braintree) was the Dutchmen's lone winner at the Capital District Meet as he cleared six feet in the high jump. Whittington (50 hurdles), Sievert (shot) and sophomore Joe Kelanovich (Seldon, NY/Newfield)-in the 5000 meter-all placed second. Darlington, Sanabia and Sievert all placed in the top 10 at Wesleyan in two events. Darlington was second in the triple jump and fourth in the high jump while Sanabia took seventh in the 55 meter and ninth in the 200 meter. Besides winning the shot, Sievert was sixth in the weight throw. Union's other top 10 finishes at last weekend's invitational included Whittington's third place in the 55 high hurdles, sophomore Frank Filliciotto's (S. Huntington, NY/St. Anthony's) second place in the 800, sophomore Matt Weber's (Cumberland, ME/Greeley) eighth place in the 800 meter, senior Morse's seventh place in the 1500 meter, Erickson's second place in the high jump, sophomore Matt Lallier's (Amesbury, MA/St. John's Prep) ninth place in the high jump and Sollohub's fourth place in the pole vault.