May 22, 2009

UMass Lowell’s 4X400 meter relay team placed a stunning third in the preliminary and junior Haley Catarius (Marshfield, MA) also advanced to the finals to highlight the River Hawks on day two of the NCAA Championship at Angelo State University.

UMass Lowell’s 4X400 team posted a season-best time of 3:09.44 and trailed first-place St. Augustine’s (3:08.16) and runner-up Lincoln University (3:08.97). The result was just shy of the school record of 3:08.82, set in 2007.

Junior Doug Caves (Oxford, MA) led off with a 46.87-second leg while freshman Jeff Wundt (Southwick, MA) followed in 48.15, junior Robert Liekweg (Salem, NH) in 48.18 before senior Andrew Grange (Methuen, MA) anchored in a swift 45.87 seconds.

“Doug got out well and was in second for a while,” said Head Coach Gary Gardner. “We faded in the middle legs a little but then Andrew ran unbelievable and almost caught the Lincoln runner ahead of him.

“Jeff kind of got boxed in, but he deserves more credit for the time he ran. We’re real happy with where we are going into the final.”

The men’s 4X400 team advances to the final Saturday night at 10:40 p.m.

Seeded 10th, Catarius placed seventh overall (third in her heat) with a time of 2:10.62, just 0.22 seconds off her own school record of 2:10.40. She moves on to Saturday’s final (8:37 p.m.) for the second straight year.

Last year, Catarius placed sixth in 2:12.07, exceeding her seed of ninth, to earn All-American honors.

“One of the things with Haley is that she presses to much in the last 200 meters,” Gardner noted. “She needed to stay relaxed and tonight she did a great job of that. She closed really well in the last 50 meters. When there are eight finalists in the lane races, there is no margin for error. She ran unbelievably well.”

Junior Jacqui Barrett (Woburn, MA) placed 15th in the shot put with a throw of 43 feet, 5.0 inches. The result was her third attempt after opening with consecutive fouls.

“Both of Jacqui’s first throws were around 46 feet, but she was out of the sector,” said Gardner. “I think she was a little tentative on the last attempt. The throws she had would’ve put her around fourth. She actually threw well despite the fouls.”

Five individuals and the men’s 4X400 team gear for the finals on Saturday. Senior Sarah Brassard (Oxford, MA) leads off in the 3,000 meter steeplechase final at 6:10 after placing eighth in the preliminary in 11:03.29.

Sophomore Lauren Raimondi (East Longmeadow, MA) follows in the high jump at 6:35. Raimondi enters the event seeded sixth with a career-best leap of 5’ 8.0’’.

Caves enters the 400 meter dash final at 6:54 p.m. after finishing eighth in Thursday’s preliminary in 47.03 seconds. He will then join Grange, Liekweg and Wundt in the 400 meter dash final at 10:40 p.m.

Senior Christina DaLomba (Marstons Mills, MA) also looks for a stellar encore in the 1,500 meters final at 7:05 after placing sixth in Thursday’s preliminary in 4:33.78.

UMass Lowell 2009 NCAA Championship Schedule

Angelo State University – San Angelo, TX

Saturday, May 23

Women’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase Final (Sarah Brassard), 6:10

Women’s High Jump (Lauren Raimondi), 6:35

Men’s 400 Meter Dash Final (Doug Caves), 6:54

Women’s 1,500 Meters Final (Christina DaLomba), 7:05

Women’s 800 Meters Final (Haley Catarius), 8:37

Men’s 4X400 Meter Relay Final (Caves, Andrew Grange, Robert Liekweg, Jeff Wundt), 10:40