University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Set To Host A-10 Championships
April 28, 2010 | Men's Track & Field
April 28, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass men's track and field team is preparing to host the biggest meet of the season, in the form of the Atlantic 10 Championships, this Saturday and Sunday. The meet will be the second-of-two that are in Amherst during the 2010 campaign. The Minutemen are coming off an excellent performance at last weekend's UNH Pre-Conference Meet, in which there were four New England and three IC4A Championship qualifiers,as well as three school top five marks being reached. The start time for Saturday and Sunday is set promptly for 9 am. Live video and audio coverage will be provided, which can be found by logging onto Atlantic10.org.
Home Cooking
On May 1 and 2, the Minutemen will host the heavily anticipated A-10 Championships at the UMass Track and Field Complex. The Minutemen have already hosted one-of-two meets this season in Amherst, as the team placed a solid second at the UMass Nine-Way Meet on April 10. Leading the way were IC4A qualifiers, Jonathan Pierce and Nicolai Naranjo.
Senior Success
Chris Vercollone wasted no time in emerging onto the scene as the senior javelin thrower took first place at the UConn Invitational, while qualifying for both the New England and IC4A Championships. The mark of 196-03 is also now the fifth best mark in school history. At the UMass Nine-Way Meet (4/10) seniors Jonathan Pierce and Jason Ayr stole first and third in the 10,000 meter run. Pierce qualified for the IC4A and New England Championships, while Ayr notched a qualifying spot for the New England Meet. Andrew McCann also made a mark for himself at the Larry Ellis Invitational, by crossing the line at 14:34.03 (20th overall) in the 5,000 meter run. The time was good enough to qualify for the New England and IC4A Championships.
Booming Busch
Just a junior, Sean Busch has already set the second best mark in school history in the pole vault event. The mark of 15-09 came at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet (4/24), where Busch qualified for the IC4A Championships. Previously, the junior vaulter, qualified for the New England Championships at the UConn Invitational (4/3), reaching a height of 14-09. Busch now holds the best mark in the pole vault in the Atlantic 10 Conference up to this point in the season.
Cotto Breaks Onto The Scene
After not participating in the first three meets of the 2010 outdoor season, senior Tyler Cotto made quite an impression at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet (4/24). Not only did Cotto set the fourth best time in school history in the 110 meter hurdles, but also now ranks fifth best in the conference thus far this season. The time of 14.51, was also good enough to qualify the senior for both the New England and IC4A Championships.
Domination From Donadt
Truly making a mark in his first outdoor season at UMass, sophomore Evan Donadt has already qualified for the New England Championships in both the 110 and 400 meter hurdles. Both qualifying marks came at the Larry Ellis Invite (4/17), where Donadt crossed the line at 15.49 in the 110 meter, and at 56.16 in the 400 meter. He improved those marks at the UNH Pre-Conference meet, running a 15.30 in the 110H and a 54.41 in the 400ImH. The sophomore currently ranks eighth in the 400 meter hurdles in the A-10.
Stealthy Steeple Chasers
Both 2009 New England Champion, Sonny Gamble, and junior Sean Duncan have dominated in the 3,000 meter steeple chase thus far. The duo has qualified individually for the New England Championships in the event. At the UMass Nine-Way (4/10), the first home meet of the season, Gamble qualified in 9:34.06. For Duncan, the string of luck came at the UConn Invite (4/3), when the junior crossed the line at 9:31.11.
Naranjo Notching Accolades
Senior sensation Nicolai Naranjo began the season as strong as ever by qualifying for the New England and IC4A Championships in the 10K at the UMass Nine-Way Meet. He also notched a second place finish at the first home meet of the season. Naranjo has continued his dominance, qualifying for the New England and IC4A Championships in the 5,000 meter run as well at the Larry Ellis Invitational.
Kon-KEY To Success
Sophomore hurdler and jumper Zachary Koncki qualified for the New England Championships in not one, but two events during week one competition in Storrs, Conn. In the long jump, the sophomore jumped a distance of 22-09.00, taking first place; in the 110 meter hurdles Koncki notched a third place finish in 15.62. Improving upon his previous season mark in the long jump, Koncki placed first at the UMass Nine-Way Meet (4/10) with a mark of 22-11.25. Koncki notched a 24th place finish at the highly competitive Larry Ellis Invite in the 110 meter hurdles; however, he did improve upon his previous qualifying mark for the New England Championships set back at the UConn Invitational (4/3). The sophomore crossed the line at 15.49 at the April 17 meet.
Qualifiers Stacking Up
Proving for a strong showing at the Larry Ellis Invite (4/16), Coach O'Brien and his coaching staff propelled an additional nine qualifiers as there were three for the IC4A's and seven for the New England Championship. At the UMass Nine-Way home meet on April 10, UMass added two IC4A qualifiers in the 10K and an additional five New England Championship qualifiers in multiple events. At the UConn Invitational, the Minutemen proved for a strong showing in the first meet of the season by producing six New England Championship qualifiers, and one IC4A qualifier. With multiple school records being set on the day as well, the Minutemen produced three IC4A and four New England Championship qualifiers at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet (4/24).
Fantastic Freshmen
Joe Doyle made his first mark of the outdoor season at the UMass Nine-Way Meet (4/10), where he placed a solid fourth in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:55.27. Another fantastic freshman emerging onto the scene this year has been Nick Otis. At the UConn Invitational, his first outdoor meet, freshman Nick Otis placed a solid ninth in the 400 meter run with a time of 56.11. The freshman then improved upon his mark by crossing the line at 55.87 in the 400 hurdles at the UNH Pre-Conference (4/24), placing fifth overall. Coach Ken O'Brien will rely on the freshman to continue to provide support from the bottom-up throughout the outdoor season.
Coaching Changes Carry Success
Coming into the 2010 campaign, UMass track and field adds two new faces to the coaching staff including David Jackson and Darcy Wilson. Jackson was previously a coach at UNC Chapel Hill. Proving a valued member of the staff, Jackson helped to produce three All-Americans and four ACC Champions. He will be in charge of the multi-event athletes for both the men and women. Jackson has produced four New England Championship qualifiers and two IC4A qualifiers already in several events. Wilson joins the men's and women's staff after a stint at Keene State, where she served as an assistant coach for the track and field program. She has worked with several NCAA qualifiers and an NCAA Champion at the Div. III level. Throwers will be the main focus for Wilson throughout the outdoor season, as she already has produced two New England and one IC4A qualifier during the 2010 campaign.