The Lions are stacking up provisional cuts this season as the men’s and women’s track and field teams continued to shine last weekend in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on Friday, Feb. 5, and against the Broncos in a dual meet against Rider University on Sunday, Feb. 7. The women’s team came out on top in the dual meet with the Broncos, 84.5-79.5, whereas the men’s team fell 85-78.
Senior Priscilla Senyah achieved a new school record, breaking her own previous time, in the 60-meter hurdles on Friday. Senyah competed in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational with other top athletes from around the country including UCLA and Temple University. The hurdler finished with a time of 7.89 seconds and another qualifying mark for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championship.
“I came into this season knowing that as my last year I definitely wanted to go out with a bang,” Senyah said. “The key for me has been believing in myself each week.” Senyah said she believes the team also has a chance to become one of the top- three in the nation.
In the meet against the Broncos on Sunday, Senyah gained two first place finishes, as well as a pair of National College Athletic Association (NCAA) provisional cuts with her top times in the 55-meter dash and the 55-meter hurdles. Senyah finished the open dash in 7.20 seconds and completed the hurdles in 8.27 seconds. Senior sprinter Jianna Spadaccini also collected a win and an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifying time in the 400-meters. Spadaccinni crossed the finish line in 58.57 seconds. Senior Michelle Wallace also gained a provisional cut with her time in the mile. Wallace ran the mile in 5:10.30.
The women’s team also set a pair of school records against the Broncos. The sprint medley team placed first with a time of 4:10.83 and junior thrower Sarah Wehrhan advanced her record to 14.98 meters in the weight throw, picking up an ECAC qualifying mark.
On the men’s side, junior sprinter Kyle Gilroy placed first in two events and picking up an NCAA provisional mark. Gilroy finished in 7.57 seconds in the 55-meter hurdles and ran the 400-meter sprint in 49.78 seconds. In the 55-meter dash, sophomore Robert Jiggetts placed first in 6.62 seconds. Junior Rob Nihan also place first in his event. Nihan finished the 3,000 meter run in 8:46.58. Two relay teams also gained the top spots for the Lions in the 4x400 meter race and the sprint medley relay.
In the field events, junior Tim Blashford won the pole vault by clearing the bar at an even 14 feet. Sophomore Christopher Medina also won his event by jumping 6.74 meters in the long jump.
The Lions will compete in the Rider-Lafayette Invitational on Friday, Feb. 12 and the Boston University Valentine Invitational Friday Feb. 12 and Saturday Feb. 13 as they continue the season.
