March 22, 2009

Junior Doug Caves (Oxford, MA) won the 400 meter dash and junior Haley Catarius (Marshfield, MA) placed second in the 800 meters to lead the UMass Lowell men's and women's track and field teams at the Coastal Carolina University Shamrock Invitational Friday and Saturday.

The Invitational drew colleges from all three NCAA divisions as well as many representing postgraduate clubs from around the country.

Caves won the 400 meters in 47.56 seconds and bested a field of 53 runners. Caves' result fell well within the NCAA provisional time of 48.00.

UMass Lowell was well represented in the 400 as sophomore Donte Brown (Raynham, MA) placed sixth in 48.42 seconds and senior Andrew Grange (Methuen, MA) 10th in 49.33 seconds.

Catarius ran the 800 meters in 2:12.64, easing past the NCAA provision of 2:15.00.

Catarius and Caves' results were among several stellar efforts in the season-opening meet. Junior Jacqui Barrett (Woburn, MA) placed fourth overall - first among Division II throwers - in the shot put with a distance of 43 feet, 1.75 inches.

Sophomore Lauren Raimondi (East Longmeadow, MA) also impressed for the women as she placed in a tie for seventh overall (second) in the high jump, clearing 5' 1.0''.

Senior Jack Kilcommons (South Boston, MA) placed third (second) in the 3,000 meters in 8:50.16 while sophomore Sean Gelinas (Northwood, NH) placed fourth overall (second) in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in 9:51.62.

Freshman Eric McDonald (Groveland, MA) shined in two events, placing sixth (second) in the 1,500 meters in 4:06.09 and 15th (fifth) in the 800 meters in 2:01.62.

In the field events, junior William Nguidjoi (Lawrence, MA) placed 11th (fifth) in the triple jump with a distance of 43' 7.75'' and junior Robert Liekweg (Salem, NH) placed 12th (fourth) in the javelin with a throw of 158' 2.0''.

In the 4X400 meter relay, UMass Lowell placed 11th (seventh) in 3:27.60. Liekweg led off with a 50.8-second leg while sophomore Sam Bastien (Canton, MA) ran a 51.9-second split. Freshman Josh Schussler (Wilbraham, MA) ran a 53.3-second leg and sophomore Brody Griffiths (Woburn, MA) anchored in 51.9.

UMass Lowell enters the Bantam Invitational next Saturday at Trinity College.