April 20, 2009
Results
Junior Doug Caves (Oxford, MA) automatically qualified for the NCAA Championship in the 400 meters and also led UMass Lowell’s 4X400 meter relay team to first place to highlight a spectacular day at Princeton University’s Larry Ellis Invitational Saturday.
The invitational drew colleges from all three NCAA divisions as well as athletes representing postgraduate track and field clubs in and around the East.
Coupled with the women’s effort, UMass Lowell had six individuals and one relay team qualify for the NCAA Championship.
Caves placed second in the 400 meter dash in a swift 46.77 seconds – just behind Mike Eddy of Princeton (46.72) – to book his place at the NCAA Championship and come within less than 0.3 seconds of his own school record of 46.49.
With the result, Caves improved from sixth to fourth on the NCAA Division II 400 meters list.
Additionally, senior Andrew Grange (Methuen, MA) placed fourth in the 400 in 46.91 seconds, which currently ranks fifth on the Division II list, while freshman Jeff Wundt (Southwick, MA) placed 10th overall and fourth among Division II runners in 48.77 seconds.
Caves, Grange, Wundt and junior Robert Liekweg (Salem, NH) also teamed to capture the 4X400 meter relay in 3:12.59 to post the eighth-best time in the country thus far.
Caves led off with a 48.6-second leg while Wundt followed in 48.5, Liekweg in 48.4 and Grange the anchor in 47.0 seconds.
Liekweg also enjoyed a stellar individual effort in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 53.52, placing second behind Kelton Cumberbatch of Manhattan (52.71). Junior Justin Oliver (Lowell, MA) took seventh overall and second among Division II-III runners in 55.00.
Sophomore William Nguidjoi (Lawrence, MA) emerged the top Division II-III performer in two events. He placed sixth in the triple jump with a distance of 42’ 10.25’’ and tied for 14th in the long jump with a leap of 20’ 3.75’’.
Sophomore Cory Murray (Methuen, MA) was the top Division II-III thrower in the shot put (11th overall) with a toss of 49’ 2.25’’.
A select number of athletes will attend the Penn Relays Thursday through Saturday while the rest will compete at the Brown Invitational Sunday.
