FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE,VA. - The Monmouth University men and women's outdoor track & field teams had one of their best performances of the season this weekend, as the teams posed IC4A/ECAC qualifying showings in eight different events at the Onesty/Abramson Invitational hosted by the University of Virginia.

Seniors Bobby Smith (Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong) and Tisifenee Taylor (Woodbury, N.J./Woodbury) had two outstanding performances. Smith continues to add to his storied track career as he garnered his third title of the season. Smith won his second consecutive javelin title with a toss of 226' ?", which is second best in school history. His toss moves him into ninth place this season among Division I athletes.

Taylor had a record-breaking day as she leaped 21'1" in the long jump grabbing second-place honors. The mark breaks the old school record and qualifies her for the NCAA East Regionals. The length also ranks fourth-best in the nation among Division I athletes this spring. Taylor was not done as she placed sixth in the 100m with a time of 12.07, which is good to qualify her for ECAC Championships. She also anchored the 4x100 relay team that better their ECAC qualifying time.

In the field for the men, sophomore Kyle Hirchklau (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) qualified for IC4A Championships with a toss of 51' 6 ?" in the shot put. Senior Nick Gilanelli (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) leaped 15' 8 ?" for a third-place finish and a school record in the pole vault. Gilanelli also better his previous IC4A qualifying mark with his showing.

On the track, the men's 4x100 relay of David Martell (Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional), Jermaine High (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan), Chris Vuono (Wall, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy), and Fabrice St. Elme (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) posted an IC4A qualifying time of 42.31 as the team finished in sixth place in the event. St. Elme had another outstanding showing in the 100m as he tied the school record of 10.68 and finished second in the event.

Senior David Wiley (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) finished fourth in the 400m with a time of 48.17, which qualifies him for the third straight year for IC4A Championships in the event. Fellow classmate Jeff Elisca (Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark) qualified for IC4As in the 400m hurdles as the senior finished 10th with a time of 53.73. Junior David Gaines (Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck) moved into seventh place in school history and the fastest time at Monmouth since 2002 in the 800m as he finished eighth, as he stopped the clock in 1:52.78.

The men's 4x400 relay team of Elisca, Vuono, Gaines, and Wiley also qualified for IC4As as they finished third with a time of 3:17.53.

On the women's side, Taylor led the strong effort with Toria Williams (Browns Mills, N.J./Pemberton), Deanna Paulson (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.), Illiana Blackshear (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) and Joanne Shia (Jackson, N.J./Jackson) all posting times of under 26 seconds in the 200m.

"This was the best meet we've had as a team so far this season," said head coach Joe Compagni. "We competed against a strong field of more than 30 schools, and our athletes placed in the top eight in 19 different events."

The Hawks return to action next weekend as they host the MU Quadrangular Meet on Saturday.