River Hawks Turn in a Strong Showing at the Alden Invitational

Saturday, December 6

Providence, R.I.

All Day

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Alden Invitational at Brown University

River Hawks Turn in a Strong Showing at the Alden Invitational

12/7/2014 5:15:00 PM | Men's Cross Country/Track & Field

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Three first place finishes and several strong performances highlighted the UMass Lowell Men's Track and Field team's season opener at the Alden Invitational at Brown University, Saturday afternoon, in Providence, R.I.

"Those were really big performances for the start of the year," said UMass Lowell Track and Field Head Coach Gary Gardner. "We were just trying to get the kids acclimated to competition. It was the first time competing so we took a cautious approach; we don't want injuries."

Juniors Tunde Ogunleye (Fitchburg, Mass.), Oluwatoni Onikeku (Fitchburg, Mass.) and freshman Vladimir Popusoi (Greenfield, Mass.) all took top honors in their respective events. Sophomore John Fiorello (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Freshmen Marcus Duncan (Dalton, Mass.) and Rino Tonelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) grabbed second place finishes.

"This is like pre-season so we are very very pleased," said Gardner. "Those were very good performances but, there is still a lot to do, there is still a long way to go, but it was a good start."

Ogunleye won the 300 meter dash in a time of 34.92 seconds. He crossed the finish line more than a second ahead of the rest of the field.

"He's picking up where he left off," said Gardner. "He had a good season last year, we looking to develop more consistency. 300 meters is an unusual distance; we use it to build up to the 400. Tunde knows just one speed, that's all out."

Duncan, running is his first collegiate race, finished second in a time of 36.07.

Several field performances grabbed attention.

Onikeku won the high jump clearing the bar at 6-feet 9-inches. That was nearly a half a foot better than the rest of the field. Injuries had slowed Onikeku a year ago, but the coach says 'he's in great shape," and it showed.

"We were really, really pleased," said Gardner. "He is able to harness his speed and capable of transferring horizontal to vertical. He's got a chance to clear seven feet this season."

Tonelli tied for second in the high jump clearing 6-feet 3 1/2-inches.

Popusoi finished in a tie at the top of the leader board in the pole vault. Popusoi cleared the bar at 14-feet 5 1/4- inches.

Fiorello took second in the shot put. His toss came in at 50-feet 9 1/4-inches.

The River Hawks are back in action Saturday, December 13, at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston for the Jay Carisella Invitational before taking a couple of weeks off for finals and the winter break.