PRINCETON, N.J.- Monmouth University's men's and women's track and field team wrapped up the final day of the IC4A and ECAC Division I Championships on Sunday at Princeton University.
Senior Latasha Dickson (Aberdeen, N.J./Aberdeen) took fifth place in the 400 hurdles finishing in 60.27, earning her All-East honors for the second straight year in the event. The women's 4x400 relay team consisting of Dickson, Deanna Paulson (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp), Illiana Blackshear (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) and Crystal Stein (Stewartstown, Pa./Susquehannak) took sixth place with their time of 3:45.83, earning the four All-East. The women's team finished in 18th place out of over 80 teams in the ECAC Division I Championship, the best finish in school history.
On the men's side Nick Williams (Adamstown, Md./Urbana) picked up his second All-East honor of the weekend with his seventh place throw of 54' 9 ?” in the shot put. The men's 4x100 relay team also earned All-East distinction with their eighth place finish. The team of Dave Martell (Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional), Marcus Lewis (Nanuet, N.J./Nanuet), Fabrice St. Elme (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) and Chris Taiwo (Budd Lake, N.J./Mt. Olive) crossed the line in 3:45.83, which was sixth place. The men had eight All-East performances, finishing in 31st out of over 100 teams competing in the IC4A Championships.
The Hawks will be back in action in two weeks when they compete in the NCAA East Regionals in Florida.
DAY TWO RECAP:
Monmouth senior Tisifenee Taylor (Woodbury, N.J./Woodbury) became the first ECAC Division I Champion in Monmouth school history on Saturday after winning the long jump.
Taylor entered the weekend with the top distance in the East and stayed true to form with her winning jump of 21' 6”, beating the second place competitor by almost a foot and a half. The Woodbury, N.J., native becomes the first athlete in school history to take home first in the ECAC Division I Championships. Fellow senior Latasha Dickson (Aberdeen, N.J./Aberdeen) set a school record in the 400 hurdle trials, finishing in 60:01. The time puts her in tomorrow's final and qualifies her for the NCAA Regionals on May 25th. Monmouth's 4x400 relay team of Dickson, Deanna Paulson (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp), Illiana Blackshear (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) and Crystal Stein (Stewartstown, Pa./Susquehannak) ran 3:46.13 in the trials, earning themselves a spot in tomorrow's finals.
Tim Raywood's (Trenton, N.J./Nottingham) javelin throw of 195' 11” took eighth in the event, earning the sophomore All-East honors. Senior David Gaines (Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck) ran 1:50.07 in the 800m, setting a school record. Gaines failed to place in the event but his time was good enough to earn him a spot at the NCAA Regionals. The Hawk 4x100 relay team of Dave Martell (Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional), Marcus Lewis (Nanuet, N.J./Nanuet), Fabrice St. Elme (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) and Chris Taiwo (Budd Lake, N.J./Mt. Olive) ran 41.67 in Saturday's trials, which was the eighth fastest time, qualifying the squad for tomorrow's finals.
DAY ONE RECAP:
Two Monmouth University track and field throwers have earned All-East honors after the first day of competition at the IC4A Division I Championships on Friday.
Senior Nick Williams (Adamstown, Md./Urbana) and Christian Keller (Matawan, N.J./Matawan) took seventh and eighth, respectively, in the discus throw, earning All-East honors. Williams threw 162' 0”, while Keller's throw of 160' 1” earned a team point for the Hawks.
Martin Suarez III (Burlington, N.J./Holy Cross) ran the 3000m steeplechase in 9:20.52, which did not place but was the second fastest time in school history. Meredith Malloy (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) finished 11th overall for the women at the ECAC Division I Championships (also held at Princeton) in the 10,000m, finishing in 37:24. The rookie now owns the top three freshman times in the event at Monmouth.
