Jan. 29, 2011

Results

UMass Lowell’s women’s 4X400 meter relay team posted the fastest time in Division II this season en route to capturing the title at the Boston University Terrier Invitational Friday at the BU Track & Tennis Center.

The non-scoring meet drew athletes and colleges of all three NCAA Divisions from the Northeast as well as many athletes representing postgraduate track and field clubs from the region. The men's events are scheduled for Saturday.

UMass Lowell’s foursome posted a time of 3:48.15, which currently ranks No. 1 on the most recent NCAA Division II list and virtually books its place for the NCAA Championship Mar. 11-12. The result is also the second fastest in the program’s history, falling short of the school record of 3:47.25 by a mere 0.90 seconds.

Leading off was sophomore Shannon Cunningham (Foxboro, Mass.), who ran a 56.2-second split while junior Nicole Giaquinto (Winthrop, Mass.) followed in 57.0 seconds; freshman Elisabeth Monty (Charlton, Mass.) in 57.1 seconds and junior Amy Delgado (Bridgewater, Mass.) anchoring in 57.4.

Delgado also enjoyed a stellar day individually, placing sixth in the 400 meter dash in 57.29 seconds and provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Championship. Delgado’s result currently sits 13th on the Division II list (behind teammate Cunningham, who is in 10th/57.05).

Monty placed fifth overall and second among Division II and III athletes in the 60 meter hurdles in 9.10 seconds while Giaquinto took 12 overall (fourth) in the 200 meter dash in 25.69.

Freshman Candace Greene (Annapolis, Md.) continued to inch toward the NCAA provisional mark in the shot put as she threw for a season-best distance of 43 feet, 8.0 inches to place second behind Monmouth’s Rachel Aliotta (44’ 7.0’’) by less than a foot.

Greene’s result is a mere 3.5’’ from meeting the provisional standard. Freshman Marissa Avery (Colrain, Mass.) placed tied for fifth overall (second among Division II and III athletes) in the high jump as she cleared 5’ 2.5’’. Senior Lauren Raimondi (East Longmeadow, Mass.) was close behind in seventh (fourth) with a leap of 5’ 0.25’’.

Raimondi also took 10th (fourth) in the 60 meter hurdles in 9.10 seconds.

Freshman Karie Judge (Tewksbury, Mass.) also enjoyed a milestone day as she placed seventh (second) in the 500 meters in 1:18.53, which currently ranks eighth among the top individual 500 meter times in UMass Lowell history.

Judge’s result is 4.49 seconds shy of the school record of 1:14.04 set by Haley Catarius at the 2010 New England Championship.

UMass Lowell enters the Giegengack Invitational at Yale University next Friday.