NEC Next On The Slate For Women's Track

May 9, 2013

EASTON, Mass. -

Massachusetts at the New England Championship
Date/Time	Friday and Saturday, May 10-11, 2013 \| 12:00 p.m.
Location	Stonehill College \| Easton, Mass.
Results	2013 Indoor Results (Final) \| 2013 Outdoor Results
Personal Records	Indoor Personal Records \| Outdoor Personal Records
All-Time Records	Massachusetts All-Time Record Book
Social Media	@UMass_XC_TF   \| @UMassAthletics   \| UMass Cross Country/Track and Field

Minutewomen To Compete In The New England Championship

UMass will take those who qualified this outdoor season to Easton, Mass. for the New England Championship on Friday and Saturday at Stonehill College. The championship meet will be the final meet of the season for many of the athletes unless they have qualified for the second day of ECAC's on Sunday or NCAA Regionals. The meet will begin at 12 AM.

Five All-Conference Performances and Three Gold Medals Highlight A-10's

The Minutewomen walked out of the Atlantic 10 Championship with three champions and five total All-Conference performers. The team finished seventh overall in the competition in a field of 13 teams. The three champions were honored this week as UMass Co-Athletes of the Week.

Becky Stoyle grabbed the attention of the entire facility in the triple jump when she battled with Duquesne's Brittany Edwards through the final jump of the day. Stoyle was second to Edwards until she busted out a golden leap of 42-feet, 3.25-inches. The mark is a personal best by 4.5-inches and breaks her own UMass record. This is her second Atlantic 10 Championship this year and her first outdoor championship. She becomes the 21st Minutewoman to be the indoor and outdoor champion in an event in the same year and is the first since Stephanie Aguguo in 2011. This is her sixth time awarded the honor by the committee.

The first of the two champions on Sunday's A-10 finale was Kelsey Crawford who fought through two days of tough competition to win her first gold medal in the heptathlon. The freshman scored a total of 4685 points and was just 25 points ahead of Temple's Kiersten LaRoche. Crawford scored most of her points with her talents in throwing events with a first place mark in the javelin and the shot put. Her 4685 points is also a personal best and she currently has the third best score in UMass history. Crawford is the first Minutewoman to win the heptathlon since Melissa Ward in 2000. The Houston, Texas native then scored later in the shot put with a seventh place mark of 43-feet, 3.75-inches.

Rachelle Bourque was an inspiration to her teammates early on in the A-10 contest winning the javelin on Saturday, claiming her second A-10 Championship in her career at UMass. Bourque becomes the first Minutewoman to win back-to-back outdoor championships since Christina DeRosa back in 2007 and 2008 in the 10,000 meter run. In the process, her golden mark of 143-feet, 1-inch broke her own school record.

Katherine Finnegan was another favorite who competed early in the meet. She grabbed second in the long jump with a mark of 19-feet, 1.25-inches. She was runner up to Duquesne's Brittany Edwards who leaped her best mark of the year, jumping 19-feet, 6.25-inches.

Nalis Mbianda placed third in the shot put and stood on the podium for the first time in her collegiate career. She is the first all-conference Minutewoman in the shot put since Carole LaPlante in 2001 and she is just the second Minutewoman to place in the top three in the shot put at the Atlantic 10 Championship.

On a day when many Minutewomen ran, jumped and threw personal bests, Alexandra Purdue-Smithe ran a personal best that now stands as the fourth best time in UMass history for the 10,000 meter run. Purdue-Smithe finished 12th overall with a time of 37:23.57.

Becky Stoyle Leads UMass In A Historical Team Effort On Senior Day

In a day when many Minutewomen pulled through to give their best performance on Saturday, it was Becky Stoyle who shined a bit brighter in front of the large amount of alumni, family and friends who came out to support their school in their final home meet of the 2013 season.

Stoyle was able to set the all-time best outdoor mark at UMass on Saturday with a leap of 41-feet, 10.75-inches. The mark was also the UMass Track & Field Complex facility record and was awarded her fifth UMass Athlete of the Week as well as her first A-10 Performer of the Week honor. She ranks 13th in the NCAA East Region and 25th in the country and is the favorite in this year's Atlantic 10 Championship.

Katherine Finnegan broke out her biggest jump of her career this weekend in the long jump after inching towards the 19-foot mark all season long and leaped 19-feet, 9.5-inches. The senior now sits at second all-time in UMass history for the outdoor long jump and is the favorite to win the long jump at the Atlantic 10 Championships.

Nalis Mbianda and Kelsey Crawford each set personal bests on Saturday, Mbianda bested her own second best mark in UMass history while Crawford entered her name in at fourth all-time. Courtney Kromko also set a top-five mark in the triple jump, grabbing fourth all-time.
Throwers Launch Minutewomen Through Holy Cross Invitational

UMass women's track and field finished second of seven with a total of 168.5 points in Saturday's Holy Cross Invitational in Worcester, Mass. The Minutewomen scored 64 points just in throwing events with 12 top eight finishes. Rachelle Bourque and Nalis Mbianda each grabbed first place finishes, Bourque won the javelin while Mbianda won the shot put.

Mbianda started the day off right for her teammates, leading the way in the shot put with a mark of 45-feet, 4.25-inches. The Minutewomen would follow up, placing second, third and fourth in the event. Kelsey Crawford was the runner-up, throwing 42-feet, 1.25-inches. Bourque finished with a mark that placed her third in the field of 10. The Rowley, Mass. native threw 41-feet, 2.50-inches. Rounding out the top four was Kaylee DeVincent who threw 40-feet, 1.25-inches.

Bourque launched the javelin 129-feet, 2-inches for her first place finish. She was trailed by two freshmen, one in third and the other in sixth. Emma Robinson placed third with a 112-foot-7-inch mark. The sixth place finisher was Emily Louis, who threw 105-feet, 4-inches.

In the discus it was DeVincent who threw the best for the Minutewomen with a 124-feet, 8-inch mark, placing her third in the event. DeVincent was followed by Mbianda in sixth place and Alexa Fearing in seventh. Mbianda threw 107-feet, 8-inches while Fearing set a mark of 105-feet. DeVincent struck again in the hammer throw. The senior threw 130-feet, 8-inches and would eventually be beaten by Sara Wagner who threw an even 131-feet.
Minutewomen Continue Outdoor Success In First Home Meet

The Minutewomen for a second week straight found success in a variety of events placing third overall in a field of 19 with 94 points, falling short of UConn and Boston College. However in just Division-I competition UMass found itself in a very tight finish in the top three in a field of seven. UMass finished second in D-I competition with 117 points, just falling a point short of UConn and a point ahead of Boston College. Becky Stoyle was one of the team's two competitors to finish first in an event with the other being Hannah White in the 10,000 meter run. The Minutewomen battled to score eight in the top three.
Women's Track Fires Off The Blocks At AIC

UMass women's track and field exited the AIC Invitational as the better of 16 total teams with a tally of 213 points. The runner up was the host AIC with 89 points. The Minutewomen clicked on all cylinders, exceeding on the track and in the field for 42 top-eight performances on the afternoon. Coach LaFreniere left the meet in great spirits not only due to the team's success but because two of her top athletes came back from injury, ready to race in outdoor competition.

The team brought back Meghan Leahy and Courtney Neves from injury and first place performances came from the 4x400 meter relay, Sarah Bittermann, Sarah Bierly, Katherine Finnegan, Becky Stoyle and Rachelle Bourque.
2013 Indoor Season In Review

This past indoor season was certainly a continuation of the success produced in the 2012 season and then some. While the Minutewomen were rewriting the UMass record books last season, coaches also helped produce two gold medals thanks to a talented freshman class boosting the team's relays and one of the squad's top throwers, Rachelle Bourque, who has done nothing but produce since she stepped on UMass facilities as a freshman.

In 2013 the expectations were high for many of the athletes and many of them lived up to the hype. The team again rewrote the record book throughout the season however the brightest moments of the year came during the triple jump.

Becky Stoyle set the UMass and the A-10 Conference record in the triple jump with a leap of 40-feet, 1-inch. In the process she also claimed her first gold medal at the A-10 Conference Championship and then proceeded to win the New England Championship and claim bronze at the ECAC Championship meet. Due to all of her success the sophomore was also honored three times in a month's span as UMass Athlete of the Week.

The Minutewomen also produced five record book quality performances on the year, two coming from Stoyle. Becky holds the triple jump record as well as the third best score in the pentathlon in UMass history. Also having success on the field was Rebecca Banker who tied her best height of 5-foot, 5-inches in the high jump which sits at fourth all-time. Two of the top-five program performances came on the track at the ECAC Championship meet, one in the 500 meter run and one in the 4x800 meter relay. Sarah Bittermann ran the third best time in the 500 meter run with a time of 1-minute, 15.45-seconds. In the 4x800 meter relay New England gold medalist, Katie Powers led Maria Marascia, Rachel Hilliard and Carly Zinner to a finishing time of 9-minutes, 10.36-seconds, the third best time in program history.
Leading The Way In 2013

Coach LaFreniere and Coach Jackson named four captains for the 2013 season. Juniors Kayla Baldwin, Andrea Saccardo and Sara Murphy will serve alongside senior thrower Kaylee DeVincent.

DeVincent has brought depth and versatility to the team's throwing events in her UMass career. The senior battled injury in the outdoor season in 2012, but has been consistent as well as efficient in just about every throwing event. DeVincent has qualified for New Englands in the shot put and the weight throw, and has been the team's leader in the hammer and discus events over the past three seasons.

Baldwin is the team's top returning sprinter this season. The Andover, Mass. native qualified for New Englands in the 100 meter dash, claiming the team's top times in both indoor and outdoor competition in 2012.

One of the most versatile and talented athletes on the UMass squad is Murphy. The junior has competed in the heptathlon as well as the pentathlon at an elite level, making her way to the New England Championships for a ninth place finish in the pentathlon and has scored 3637 points in the A-10 Championships during the heptathlon. Murphy has also led the team in the 100 meter hurdles.

A key contributor in hurdles and relays in her time as a Minutewoman has been Saccardo over the past two seasons. The junior has been consistent, qualifying for New Englands in the 400 meter hurdles both seasons while also turning in strong performances in relays and sprints.
One Last Lap

The team lost just five athletes to graduation last season, in 2013 the team will graduate 15 seniors, including the squads top throwers, Nalis Mbianda, Rachelle Bourque and Kaylee DeVincent.

Michelle Jenssen has imbedded herself in the UMass record books four times over the course of three years as a Minutewoman. Individually, the senior sits fourth all-time with a time of 1:15.65 in the indoor 500 meter run. Most recently Jenssen teamed up teammates in the 4x400 meter relay for a time of 3:52.74, good enough for fifth all-time in indoor competition. Most impressively the senior has made a name for herself in the indoor distance medley relay, accounting for the top two performances in UMass history. As a freshman herself Gina Perno, Karen Roa and Courtney Baldwin ran a program best time of 11:49.37. The following year Claire Pettit, Perno, Roa, and Jenssen recorded the second best time in program history with a time of 11:49.64.

The team's top competitor in the high jump was Rebecca Banker, leaping a season best height of 5-1 at the AIC Invitational in last year's outdoor season. Banker currently holds the fourth best mark in UMass history for the high jump with a height of 5-5, a mark set back in 2011.

Katherine Finnegan was Coach Jackson's best athlete in the long jump as well as a New England qualifier. The Harvard, Mass. native set three of the top four marks of the outdoor season for UMass with her best distance of 18-3 coming at the A-10 Championships and in the UMass Invitational.

Emma Riedel is one of Coach LaFreniere's top returning sprinters in 2013. Riedel qualified for New Englands in the outdoor season and posted a season best 12.50 in the 100 meter dash.
Throwing The Distance, And Then Some

One area where the Minutewomen have been strong the past three seasons have been in their throwing events. Thanks to seniors Nalis Mbianda, Rachelle Bourque and Kaylee DeVincent the team has been able to count on quality performances week-to-week.

Mbianda and Bourque have been standouts since their freshman year with Bourque claiming a New England Championship in the javelin and Mbianda making her way into the record books in the shot put. Mbianda sits in second place in UMass history in the indoor and outdoor shot put chasing her former mentor and teammate, Lisa Wilson. Bourque has the all-time record in the javelin throw as well as the fourth best marks in the indoor and outdoor shot put. DeVincent battled injury last season but has been a New England qualifier in the weight throw and brings depth in the shot put.
Sophomores On The Fast Track

In 2012 the women's track and field squad benefitted from a strong freshman class, many of them making an immediate impact contributing in the team's success. This year's sophomores accounted for one New England Championship gold medal and six new UMass records, many of their best performances coming in the spotlight of a championship meet.

In the Outdoor New England Championships, sophomores Katie Powers and Courtney Neves assisted in the team's first gold medal in the New England Championships since 2010. 2010 was also the last time a freshman won a gold medal in the New England Championships. Powers anchored Neves, Claire Pettit, Meghan Leahy in the 4x800 meter relay, crossing the finish line at 9:00.01. The time also ranks second all-time at UMass in the outdoor 4x800 meter relay. Pettit and Powers ran the previous week at the A-10 Championships with Meghan Leahy and Deanna Julian and landed themselves fourth in UMass history in the 4x800 meter relay with a time of 9:01.95. The pair also recorded the second best time in the 4x800 meter relay in indoor competition at the ECAC Championships when they completed the relay in 9:07.16 alongside Julian and Sarah Bittermann.

The sophomore with the most individual success last season was triple jump rising star, Rebecca Stoyle. The highly touted Pembroke, Mass. native gave her best performances when it mattered most as a freshman in 2012. Stoyle set the fourth best indoor mark and the third best outdoor mark in the triple jump in UMass history, both records coming in the A-10 Championships. Stoyle leaped 38-4.75 in the Indoor A-10 Conference Championships as well as 39-9.25 in the triple jump in the Outdoor A-10 Conference Championships.

Meghan Landry grabbed some attention as well in her freshman campaign, assisting in the fifth best time of 3:52.74 all-time at UMass in the 4x400 meter relay with Michelle Jenssen, Bittermann, and Leahy.

Two more promising sophomores this season will be Ashley Palmer and Rachel Hilliard. Palmer performed at a high level in a multitude of events and remained consistent throughout her freshman campaign. Palmer appeared in sprints, relays and jumps. Palmer was strongest in the long and triple jump, qualifying for New Englands in both events. Hilliard will produce in long distance events as she has been a standout on the cross country team for two seasons now. Hilliard placed in the top four in every meet this season, with five top two performances.
New Faces Reassure Bright Future

After a strong season from the freshman class last year Coach LaFreniere and Coach Jackson have high hopes for the 11 freshmen the team has brought in for 2013, two of which have already gained some collegiate athletics experience during the cross country season this past fall.

Carly Zinner stood out in the results not only in the group of freshmen but on the entire team. Zinner fought for the top spot each week with teammates Rachel Hilliard and Sarah Barrett, finishing first in three meets and never finishing lower than third. Molly McMahon also gained experience this fall, claiming three top four finishes on the team. Fellow freshman Corrine Bonder was on the roster but red-shirted the season. However Bonder will compete this spring.

Katie Osborne has caught the eye of coaches as another athlete with a multitude of talents, with her best event perhaps being the high jump. Her personal best height of 5-5 already matches the personal best of Rebecca Banker, who is currently slated in fourth for the best mark in UMass history in the high jump. The mark of 5-5 is also just an 1.5" away from tying the second best mark in UMass history and an inch away from the third best all-time mark.

Kelsey Crawford is another all-around standout freshman for the Minutewomen that will compete in an array of events but will see most of her early success in the shot put. The freshman enters her collegiate career with a personal best 40-8.5 and will have the benefit of competing with Nalis Mbianda and Rachelle Bourque, two of the best to compete in the shot put in program history.

Tiffany Williams will bring a lot of speed to the Minutewomen and is a native of Peoria, Arizona where she attended Sandra Day O'Connor High School. Williams was a top three finisher in the 100 meter and 200 meter dash at the Arizona State Championships and was a North West Region Champion in the 400 meter run and long jump.
Going The Extra Mile In The Classroom

This past summer the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) honored UMass along with 171 other Division I women's track and field programs with a 3.0 GPA or higher in the spring semester of 2012. Out of every Division I women's track and field team in the nation UMass had the 46th best GPA with a 3.34. Duke University recorded the highest GPA with a 3.58.

19 of Julie LaFreniere's student athletes were named in the A-10 Spring Commissioner's Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.5 GPA or better in the 2012 spring semester and 2012 graduate, Claire Pettit received the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSida) Academic All-District award for her academic excellence as well as her performance on the track.

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Players Mentioned

Rebecca Stoyle

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics