March 14, 2010
Results
Senior Jacqui Barrett (Woburn, MA) placed second in the shot put and led four UMass Lowell individuals and a relay team to All-American honors Saturday at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championship at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
Joining Barrett in earning All-American honors was senior Haley Catarius (Marshfield, MA) in the 800 meters; junior Angus MacDonald (Methuen, MA) in the mile and distance medley relay; freshman Evan White (Tewksbury, MA) in the 200 meters and UMass Lowell’s men’s 4X400 meter relay team.
Barrett threw the shot a career-best 49 feet, 4.25 inches and held the lead until the final throw, when Kelly Ash of Ashland University threw for 51’ 1.0’’. Barrett’s result marked the seventh time this season she eclipsed her personal-best distance.
“Jacqui came in with a different mind frame than she has before,” said Head Coach Gary Gardner. “She was relaxed and focused. She had the confidence that she really belonged here.”
Barrett’s effort also marked the second time in five years that a UMass Lowell shotputter led until the final throw, echoing former standout Enjoli Edwards’ effort at the 2006 outdoor NCAA Championship.
“It was bad déjà vu,” Gardner added. “It felt like Enjoli in 2006.”
After placing eighth in Friday’s preliminary in 2:14.79, Catarius finished eighth again in 2:13.28 to earn All-America for the sixth time in her career, and first time in the indoor 800 meters. Anja Puc of Nebraska-Omaha won the 800 meters title in 2:07.14.
Catarius also ran a 57.90-second split on UMass Lowell’s 4X400 meter relay team, which placed ninth in 3:52.53, just 0.53 seconds out of eighth place. Joining Catarius was freshman Shannon Cunningham (Foxboro, MA), who ran a 57.40 split; sophomore Nicole Giaquinto (Winthrop, MA), who ran a 59.23 leg; and sophomore Amy Delgado (Bridgewater, MA), who ran a 57.81 split.
MacDonald was one of two UMass Lowell athletes to earn All-American honors in two events as he placed eighth in the mile in 4:15.04. On Friday, two hours after running the mile preliminary, MacDonald ran the 1,200 meters on UMass Lowell’s distance medley relay team which placed eighth (10:15.51) and earned All-American status.
“I was really happy with Angus,” said Gardner. “That mile field was the most competitive ever. He was the only one in that field who does not run in altitude, and for him to run that time in altitude and to come away with two All-American awards was amazing.”
Aaron Braun led five Adams Stats runners in the top five places in 4:07.44.
White, who broke his own school record Friday in the 200 meters preliminary with a time of 21.59 seconds, placed fourth in Saturday’s final in 21.65 seconds. Josh Scott of St. Augustine’s won the 200 in 20.91 seconds.
“Evan was given the third lane for the final, which is the worst lane to have,” Gardner noted. “For him to run right around his record time was great. He was the fourth guy in the fast section.”
UMass Lowell’s 4X400 meter relay team finished seventh and earned All-American honors for the fourth time in five years. Freshman Craig Bennett (Milton, MA) led off with a 48.61-second leg while sophomore Jeff Wundt (Southwick, MA) followed in 48.56, junior Donte Brown (Raynham, MA) in 48.67 and senior Robert Liekweg (Salem, NH) in 49.27.
Wundt was UMass Lowell’s other dual All-American on the weekend as he ran the 400 meters in Friday’s distance medley relay.
Brown also placed ninth in the 400 meter dash in 49.59 seconds.
UMass Lowell opens the outdoor season next Friday and Saturday at the Walt Disney World Invitational at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.
