Results


PRINCETON, N.J. – Graduate student Paul Hogan (Burlington, Mass.) followed a familiar plan and earned what has become a familiar result as he ran to a victory in the 5,000-meters, Saturday, on the Weaver Track and Field Stadium track at the IC4A - ECAC Championships.

"Paul ran a great race," according to UMass Lowell Track and Field Head Coach Gary Gardner.  "We treated as an exercise, a dress rehearsal for the NCAA East Regional.  You have to be able to close."

Hogan clocked in at 13-minutes, 59.89-seconds, nearly three-seconds ahead of the rest of the field in a race that included 35 runners.  This was a race that was about strategy, not time, and that according to Gardner "mimics" the way that an NCAA Regional unfolds.

"It's about strategy and being fit," said Gardner.  "You've got to eliminate mental errors and it's about making your moves at the right time.  Paul has gotten better and better at that."

Hogan ran with the lead pack throughout the race and waited to make his move until only about 300-meters remained.  A week ago at the America East Championships Hogan jumped into the lead with twice that distance remaining.  On Saturday, it made little difference to his rivals; they were unable to respond in kind.  Hogan ran his last lap in 57.83-seconds and put three seconds between he and the second place finisher.

"He's still learning," said Gardner.  "He's constantly learning and constantly getting better."

Teammate sophomore Derek Holmes (Marshfield, Mass.), also running in the 5,000-meters turned in a personal best time of 14:29.43.  It chopped three-seconds off what had been his personal record and it was good enough for a ninth place finish.  The race was run in a couple of sections.  Holmes won his section.

"He's getting better," according to Gardner.  "He's continuing to learn how to do it."

The coach believes that 5,000-meters may become Holmes strongest distance.  He has spent much of the season running the shorter distances and seemed to focus on the 1,500-meters and the mile during the year. 

"He has speed and strength and a great work ethic," said Gardner.  "He's one of the toughest kids I've ever coached.  He's a really good competitor and he has the potential to become a stud."

Junior Christopher Alfond (Ashby, Mass.) ran a terrific 10,000-meters.  He finished second crossing the finish line at the 30:07.73 mark on the clock.

"That was probably the best championship race that he's run," according to Gardner.  "He's still new to it, but he's getting better every time out."

It is one of the few times that Alfond has run in a race with a strategy aimed at a victory rather than a time or work on a specific  element.  He ran with the leaders in the early and middle stages of the race and then with five or six laps to go Alfond began to push the pace and competitors began to drop away.

Alfond didn't get the win, but the coach loved what he saw.

"He did a great job," said Gardner.

A couple of UMass Lowell 800-meter runners turned in solid if unspectacular times.  Senior Sean Munnelly (Litchfield, N.H.) posted a time of 1:52.07.  Freshman Izzy Giesing (Bradford, Vermont) punched the clock at 2:13.21.

The IC4A - ECAC Championships will wrap up on Sunday.