WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth women's and men's track and field teams recorded a clean sweep at the 16th Annual Monmouth Season Opener, Saturday afternoon. The 16th Annual Monmouth Season Opener, which consists of 1,550 entries from 32 colleges and six clubs, was scored as multiple dual meets among the Division I programs competing.
Since 1996, MU's men team has been undefeated at home, while the women have lost only once in West Long Branch.
The women's team defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 125-53, Fordham 140-23, Iona 138-15, Marist 137-31, NJIT 139-51, Rider 123-66, St. Francis (N.Y.) 137-31, and Stony Brook 130-34.
Freshman Laura Williams (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick Township) took the top prize in the 400 meter hurdle in her first colligate outdoor race with a time of 1:02.90. Sophomore Rachel Watkins (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) claimed fourth posting a time of 1:05.62, while junior Lindsey Walsh (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) took fifth crossing the finish line in 1:05.97 and classmate Colleen Rutecki (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) finished in 1:07.80 in seventh place.
Williams took first in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.14 followed by Ajda Dotday (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) who ran 26.14, good for fourth, while Ashley Cuvilly (Uniondale, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) and Rutecki finished sixth and seventh, respectively, with times of 26.66 and 26.69.
Walsh and Rutecki finished fourth and eighth, respectively, in the long jump with marks of 14' 9" and 13' 10.5". Walsh also placed third in the 100 meter hurdle crossing the finish line in 15.64.
Rookie Mercedes Yanora (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Holy Redeemer Wilkes-Barre) took second in the 100 meter dash, with a time of 12.45 trailed by Dotday who finished in 12.79 in fourth place while senior Cuvilly ran a 12.82 for fifth.
The sprint medley team of Chelsea Barreto (Brick, N.J./Brick Township), Heather Siebert (Salem, Conn./East Lyme), Yanora, and Lyndsy Horn (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) took sixth with a time of 4:30.00, to set the new Monmouth rookie record.
Williams, Yanora, Watkins and senior Michelle Losey (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) finished first in the 4x400 meter relay, posting a time of 3:57.89, while sophomores Danielle Toritto (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East), Amanda Eller (Delmont, N.J./Millville), Emily MacEwen (South Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) and freshman Lucia Montefusco (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur) ran 4:08.19 for third.
Toritto recorded a time of 2:21.55 in the 800 meter run for a fifth place finish, Eller took fifth in the 1500 meter run, posting a time of 4:49.12 and Losey ran 57.32 for second place in the 400 meter run.
Sophomore Alison Day (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) cleared 5' 3.75" in the high jump to earn second overall followed by Watkins who registered a mark of 5' 1.75" to claim fifth. Walsh and senior Mary Wilks (Bridgeton, N.J. /Bridgeton) each posted a jump of 4' 11.75" to earn a share of eighth.
Freshman thrower Rachel Aliotta (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) finished first for the Hawks, second overall, in the shot put with a mark of 42' 3.25", followed by classmate Tilah Young (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) who threw for 38' 6.25". Junior Symmone Fisher (Coram, N.Y./Longwood) posted a toss of 38' 1.25" followed by sophomore Sandra Jean-Romain who registered a toss of 37' 11.5".
Senior Allyson Cardullo (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) took first in the javelin, throwing 139' 8" followed by Wilks who threw for 124' 11". Sophomore Anne Moccia (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) claimed sixth with a throw of 111' 9".
Freshman Qiyana Hill (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) and junior Monica Kloc (Matawan, N.J./Matawan) finished second and third, respectively, in the discus throw with tosses of 126' and 118' while Fisher recorded a throw of 106' 7" to claim eighth.
Senior Heleen Riggs (Mullica Hill, N.J./Kingsway Regional) cleared 9" in the pole vault for a share of third place.
The relay squad of junior Esteem Winder (Philadelphia, Pa./Carver),Yanora, Dotday, and Cuvilly took first in the 4x100 meter relay, crossing the finish line in 48.45.
Jennifer Nelson (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) took first place in the 5000 meter run as the junior crossed the finish line in 17:58.57.
Nicole Wojciechowski (Gloversville, N.Y./Broadalbin-Perth) finished the steeplechase in 12:08.13 good for third.
The men's team defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 135-40, Fordham 134-50, Iona 143-14, Marist 134-50, NJIT 133-72, Rider 113-80, St. Francis (N.Y.) 130-41, and Stony Brook 136-36.
Senior Jason Kelsey (Ramsey, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) finished first in the long jump clearing 22' 11.75" followed by junior Joshua Lewis (Montville, N.J./Montville Township), who finished second, with a mark of 21' 10.25".
Senior Zachary Krupka (Allentown, Pa./Allentown) claimed second in the 400 meter run registering a time of 49.81. Classmate Eric Fay (Yatesville, Pa./Pittston Area) and freshman Jon Marques (Linden, N.J./St. Joseph) ran 50.29 and 50.75, respectively, to earn fourth and six place.
The relay team consisting of Krupka, junior Geoff Navarro (Mays Landing, N.J./Absegami), Kelsey, and freshman Robbie Robinson (Skillman, N.J./Montgomery) took second in the 4x100 meter relay, finishing in 42.76.
Navarro ran 11.01 to finish first in the 100 meter run followed by Robinson in fifth with a time of 11.54. The junior also took second in the 200 meter dash posting a time of 22.14, while Fay ran 22.67 for sixth.
Krupa lead the sprint medley team along to a second place finish, along with freshman Bayaan Oluyadi (Union, N.J./Union), junior Kevin Merrigan (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) and Ford Palmer (Smithville, N.J./Absegami), crossing the finish line in 3:38.02.
Sophomores Nick Waltman (Colonia, N.J./JFK Memorial) cleared 43' 9.75" and Josh Mann (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley) registered a jump of 41' 9.25" in the triple jump to earn third and sixth, respectively.
Freshman Thomas Butler (Union Bridge, Md./Francis Scott Key) took first in the high jump in his first colligate outdoor meet, clearing 6' 6.75". Rich Bills (Matawan, N.J./St. Joseph) followed in third with a jump of 6' and rookie Ed Kramer (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) and senior Julio Rodriguez (Bound Brook, N.J./Bound Brook) shared fourth, both jumping 6'.
Rookie Jalen Walker (Burlington, N.J./BCIT/Burlington Township) took fifth in the 110 meter hurdles posting a time of 15.71 followed by Bills who ran 15.82 for seventh place.
Senior Tom Ciccoli (King of Prussia, Pa/Archbishop Carroll) registered a throw of 48' 10.75" to finish first for MU, fifth overall, in the shot put followed by Daniel D'Amato (Matawan, N.J./Old Bridge) who claimed sixth with a toss of 48' 4".
Sophomore Vincent DuVernois (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) finished second in the javelin, throwing for 185' 7" followed by Colton Langianese (Lewis Run, Pa./Bradford Area) who threw for 148' 3".
Junior Mike Bertocchi (Morris Plains, N.J./Parsippany Hills) finished first for MU, fourth overall, in the 1500 meter run, posting a time of 4:08.59 followed by classmate Ryan Mulligan (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) who crossed the finish line in 4:11.09, good for 11th.
Junior Peter Matano (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) vaulted 14' to earn fifth.
The Hawks return to action next weekend, April 1-2, at the Colonial Relay hosted by William and Mary.
