BUSY WEEKEND BRINGS PLENTY OF SUCCESS TCNJ TRACK TEAMS

Media Release April 19

Bethlehem, Pa…A busy schedule couldn’t slow The College of New Jersey men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams as the Lions boasted plenty of post-season worthy efforts at a pair of invitationals this weekend.

The Lions started by competing at the Larry Ellis Invitational hosted by Princeton University and also excelled at the Greyhound Invitational hosted by Moravian College.

Larry Ellis Invitational…
TCNJ was also well represented at the Larry Ellis Invitational hosted by Princeton University with the Lions shining in the women’s 800 meters. Junior Stephanie Herrick (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) finished third in the race with an automatic NCAA time of 2:10.44 and teammate Jianna Spadaccini (Butler, NJ/Butler) was 14th with a NCAA provisional time of 2:14.75. Freshman Meryl Wimberly (Farmingdale, NJ/Colts Neck) added to the strong showing in the event taking 20th in the large field with an ECAC worthy time of 2:15.75.

Junior Martine McGrath (West Long Branch, NJ/Shore Regional) added a fifth-place finish in the 5,000 meters with a time of 17:55.06. That time met ECAC standards.

The men had a pair of runners qualify for the ECAC Championships led by junior Pasquale DiGioacchino (Bernardsville, NJ/Bernards) placed a team of 1:54.92 in the 800 meters, while Galen Johnson (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) posted a time of 9:38.27 in the 3,000 steeplechase.

Greyhound Invitational…
The Lion women added two more NCAA provisional marks as Jessica Bonelli (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) won the 200 with a time of 25.16 seconds. She was also part of the 4×100 relay that boasted a NCAA provisional cut of 48.64 seconds as she was joined on the team by Wimberly, Priscilla Senyah (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) and Kristen Tricocci (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson).

Bonelli added a fifth-place effort in the 100 meters with an ECAC cut of 12.59 seconds.

Sophomore Michelle Wallace (Emerson, NJ/Emerson) won the 3,000 steeplechase with an ECAC worthy time of 11:56.27.

TCNJ had a strong showing in the 400 meters as three runners each placed in the top 20 and earned an ECAC mark. Spadaccini finished with a time of 58.32 seconds followed by Wimberly in 59.08 and freshman Alexandra Tomaselli (Hillsdale, NJ/Pascack Valley) at 60.09.

Junior Justin Carnevale (Oceanport, NJ/Shore Regional) was fifth in the 1,500 with a personal-best effort of 4:59.08, while Meghan Miller (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) was sixth in the 400 hurdles with an ECAC time of 66.09 seconds.

For the men, freshman Dennie Waite (Little Silver, NJ/Red Bank Regional) won the 1,500 meters with a personal-best time of 3:38.34 that not only was an ECAC qualifying mark, but also set a meet record.

Freshman TJ Bocchino (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) crossed the finish line in third place in the 3,000 steeple chase with an ECAC time of 9:52.96, while senior Andy Lim (Lodi, NJ/Leonia) earned two ECAC distances in the jumping events. He was sixth in the triple jump with a distance of 13.18 meters and was ninth in the long jump at 6.56 meters.

In the hurdles, Kyle Gilroy (Oak Ridge, NJ/West Milford Twp.) earned two top-10 finishes taking sixth in the (15.21 seconds) and ninth in the 400 hurdles (55.92). Both of those times met ECAC standards.

Senior Josh Krowicki (Hilltop, NJ/Triton) claimed fifth place in the 800 meters win 1:57.77, while freshman Tim Blashford (Wykoff, NJ/Ramapo) was ninth in the pole vault clearing a height of 14.3 meters.

Freshman Jule Brooks (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) had a strong meet taking 12th in the 400 meters with an ECAC time of 50.34 seconds and added a 14th-place performance in the 200 (22.85).

Also in the 400, junior Woodrow Prevard (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Twp.) added a top-20 finish with a clocking of 50.88, just missing an ECAC cut.

Sophomore Steve Liccketto (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) had a personal-best effort in the hammer throw with a distance of 41.82 meters.

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