University of Massachusets Athletics
Track Approaches Season's Finish Line At IC4A Meet
May 12, 2010 | Men's Track & Field
May 12, 2010
PRINCETON, N.J. - The UMass men's track and field team will head into the final championship meet prior to the NCAA Regionals this weekend at the IC4A Championships. Already the Minutemen have qualified 12 competitors, and will be looking to set personal and season bests marks this weekend. At last weekend's New England Championships, the Minutemen placed ninth in a strong field of 39. The team added one IC4A qualifier in the form of Jason Ayr in the 10,000 meter run.
On this weekend's meet, assistant coach David Jackson said, "I expect the team to do very well, especially Sean Busch in the pole vault and Daniel Wu in the triple and long jump. I think that our athletes will be looking to improve upon their season best marks this weekend."
Miller's Monster Jumping
NCAA ranked jumper, Brian Miller, has blown away records and qualifying marks in the past several weeks. Beginning at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet, Miller set the school record with a height of 6-08.25, grabbing first place at the meet. He then vastly improved upon his record by jumping over seven feet (7-00.25) at the A-10 Championships (5/1), while being crowned an A-10 Champion. Additionally, Miller was named the Most Outstanding Male Field Performer at the 2010 A-10 Track and Field Championships. The senior is now qualified for both the New England and IC4A Championships. Even more impressive, he is now ranked in the top 25 in the NCAA East Region in the outdoor high jump.
Senior Success
At the A-10 Championships, senior star Jonathan Pierce set a personal and team's season best time in the 10,000 meter run, crossing the line at 30:12.42, good enough for second place. Also coming on strong of late was Jason Ayr in the 10K at the New England Championships (5/7). With a time of 31:03.47, Ayr stole second place, while qualifying for the IC4A Championships. 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. At the A-10 Championships (5/1), McCann qualified for the New England Meet in the 10K as well. Chris Vercollone wasted no time in emerging onto the scene as the senior javelin thrower took first place at the UConn Invitational (4/3), 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.
Booming Busch
Just a junior, Sean Busch has already set the second best mark in school history, as well as be named an A-10 Champion in the pole vault. On May 1 Busch was crowned an A-10 Champion, reaching a height of 15-03 in Amherst. The mark of 15-09, the second best in school history, 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
Tyler Cotto continued his success by improving upon his school's top five and New England and IC4A qualifying mark in the 110 meter hurdles at the A-10 Meet. With a time of 14.45, the senior placed fourth at the conference meet and moved up to third all-time in Massachusetts history. Cotto's previous season best came at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet (4/24), with a time of 14.51 in the 110 hurdles. The time was the school's fourth best at the time.
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 A-10 Championships (5/1), running a 15.14 the 110 IMH and a 54.17 in the 400 IMH.
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 this season. Gamble set the best team season mark in the event at the New England Championships (5/8), with a time of 9:17.13, also his personal season best. Duncan had his best individual mark in the event at the Larry Ellis Invite, crossing the line at 9:19.73.
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 (4/10). He bettered his qualifying time at the A-10 Championships by taking fifth in a time of 30:43.04. 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.
Home Cooking
To conclude the two home meets of the season, UMass placed fourth-of-eleven at the A-10 Championships on May 1 and 2. Highlighting the weekend's competition for the Minutemen were A-10 high jump and pole vault champions, Brian Miller and Sean Busch. Miller also set the school record at the conference meet. At the UMass Nine-Way Meet, the Minutemen placed a solid second. Leading the way were IC4A qualifiers, Jonathan Pierce and Nicolai Naranjo.
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
At the A-10 Championships, the Minutemen added six New England and two IC4A Championship qualifiers. 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). At the final meet before the IC4A Championships, the Minutemen added one additional qualifier for this weekend's championship meet, in the 10,000 meter run.
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. Doyle was also a member of the IC4A qualifying 4x800 meter relay team at the A-10 Championships. The quad finished in a time of 7:28.55, good enough for fourth place. Another fantastic freshman emerging onto the scene this year has been Nick Otis. At the UConn Invitational, his first outdoor meet, freshman 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.
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. Additionally, Jackson helped to produce two A-10 Champions, in the pole vault and high jump. 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 for the men's team during the 2010 campaign.