April 30, 2010

The UMass Lowell women’s and men’s track and field teams are gearing for the Northeast-10 Conference Championship with similar goals, but different tactics.

The River Hawk women are out for a repeat title and their fifth crown in nine years. The UMass Lowell women have also captured the last two indoor championships.

The men are hopeful of unseating holder Southern Connecticut State, which has won all seven outdoor titles as well as the last eight indoor meets.

The Championship is slated for Saturday (9:00 a.m.) at Stonehill College’s W.B. Mason Stadium.

UMass Lowell has been hit by a recent rash of injuries to both teams, and Head Coach Gary Gardner said that the River Hawks will need to be sharp if a championship is in the cards.

“It’s tough going into the Conference championship with three of our best men and two of our top women out with injury,” Gardner said. “We really lose out on quite a few points and some depth.

“Sometimes you’re a little unlucky this time of year,” he added. “This year we have been especially unlucky.”

On the women’s side, the River Hawks have rallied around seniors Jacqui Barrett (Woburn, MA), Haley Catarius (Marshfield, MA) and Katrina Lutkus (Lowell, MA), each of whom ranks on top of the NE-10 in their events.

Barrett currently leads the country in the shot put with a throw of 49 feet, 11.75 inches, achieved at Princeton’s Larry Ellis Invitational Apr. 16 while Catarius leads the conference (10th nationally) in the 800 meters with a time of 2:11.49.

Lutkus, who has emerged among UMass Lowell’s sprinters, sports the NE-10’s fastest result in the 100 meter dash (12.58 seconds), posted last week at the Brown Invitational.

Injuries to juniors Lauren Raimondi (East Longmeadow, MA) and Lyra Clark (Nashua, NH) could be costly, but the UMass Lowell women still have the depth to defend their title, particularly in the sprints.

Six River Hawks rank among the top nine places in the 100 meter dash while four are among the top eight in the 200 meters and four among the top nine in the 400.

On the men’s side, UMass Lowell leads the NE-10 field in seven events, led by seniors Doug Caves (Oxford, MA), Ruben Sanca (Boston, MA), Robert Liekweg (Salem, NH) and Tim Guerin (Auburn, MA); along with juniors Angus MacDonald (Methuen, MA) and Cory Murray (Methuen, MA).

Caves ranks sixth nationally in the 400 meter dash (46.96 seconds) and is a member of UMass Lowell’s 4X400 meter relay team which sits 24th nationally with a time of 3:14.81). Sanca tops the NE-10 field in the 5,000 meters (14:05.39) and ranks second in the 1,500 meters (3:50.76).

Liekweg tops the 400 meter hurdles field (53.43) and Guerin has run the fastest time in the 3,000 steeplechase thus far (9:05.47). MacDonald is tops in the 1,500 meters (3:50.32) while Murray leads in the shot put (a school record 53’ 8.0’’).

UMass Lowell will be without sprinters Jeff Wundt (Southwick, MA) and Donte Brown (Raynham, MA) as well as freshmen Evan White (Tewksbury, MA) and Craig Bennett (Milton, MA), all with injuries.

After Saturday, the River Hawks gear for the New England Championship, hosted by Northeastern May 7-8.