April 18, 2009

Results

Junior Tim Guerin (Auburn, MA) and senior Sarah Brassard (Oxford, MA) each shattered school records and qualified for the NCAA Championship in the 3,000 meter steeplechase to highlight the UMass Lowell men’s and women’s track and field teams efforts Friday at Princeton University’s Larry Ellis Invitational.

The non-scoring meet drew schools from all three NCAA divisions as well as many athletes representing postgraduate track and field clubs around the East.

Guerin placed third in a field of 39 runners with a time of 9:01.93, just behind Kyle Heath of Syracuse (8:51.39) and Kyle Merber of Columbia (9:01.71). The result automatically qualifies Guerin a spot in the NCAA Championship and currently ranks third in the country.

Additionally, Guerin’s time eclipsed his previous school record of 9:14.28, set last year, by more than 12 seconds.

Brassard placed 12th among 36 runners – second among Division II and III runners – in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase and set the school record for the third time this season with a time of 10:51.00.

The time also met the provision for the NCAA Championship (ranking seventh nationally) and bested her previous school record of 11:22.94, set on Apr. 4 at the Stonehill Invitational, by more than 30 seconds.

Sophomore Patricia Brice (Chelmsford, MA) placed 18th in the 800 meters (fifth among Division II-III athletes), and also provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship with a time of 2:14.47, the 14th-best time in Division II thus far.

Senior Christina DaLomba (Marstons Mills, MA) was the top Division II-III finisher in the 1,500 meters (20th overall) with a time of 4:39.72.

Also running well was senior Rex Radloff (Dedham, MA), who placed 17th (third) in the 5,000 meters in 14:38.34; and senior Joey DeWitt (Ellsworth, ME), who placed 32nd (third) in the 1,500 meters in 3:54.80.

The Invitational carries on with the remainder of events on Saturday.