at the Virginia Challenge: Results | Meet Info
vs. the 2022 George Davis Invitational: Results | Meet info | Watch
 
LOWELL, Mass.—Slated for a pair of meets this weekend, the UMass Lowell men's and women's track and field program sets its sights on the Virginia Challenge hosted by Virginia, April 22-23, and the George Davis Invitational on April 23.
 
The River Hawks open the weekend in Charlottesville as 10 River Hawks head south for the two-day Virginia Challenge at Lannigan Field. Junior Michael Blake (Hudson, Mass.) and senior Kashief Bogannam (Kingston, N.H.) will represent the UMass Lowell sprinters in the 100-meter and 400-meter events, respectively, on Friday afternoon. One of two River Hawk runners taking on two events, Blake returns to the track on Saturday for the men's 200 meter. Joining Blake, senior Izzy Giesing (Bradford, Vt.) will compete in the 1,500 meter for her first event of the weekend. She then closes out her two-day stint in Virginia in the 800 meter on Saturday afternoon.
 
The River Hawks distance crew hopes to record major outings to cap day one of the Virginia Challenge across the men's 5,000 meter as well as the men's and women's 10,000 meter. No stranger to the event, graduate student Derek Holmes (Marshfield, Mass.) is set to tackle the 5,000 meter for the UMass Lowell men's crew. Following Holmes, junior Mackenzie Doyle (Swansea, Mass.) and graduate student Jenna Solimine (Haverhill, Mass.) for the women and graduate student Kyle Cloutier (Lancaster, Mass.), senior Drew Everett (Amesbury, Mass.) and junior John Riley (Quincy, Mass.) will all compete for top marks in the 10,000-meter race.
 
Back in the Mill City, the River Hawks will host the George Davis Invitational on Saturday, April 23. Prior to the start, the team will honor longtime athletic trainer Artie Poitras and award a Blue Blazer to UMass Lowell Hall of Fame Inductee and former River Hawk hurdler Julie Drinkwater.
 
Several River Hawks hope to excel on home turf. For the men, all eyes are in the field with freshman James Kotowski, graduate student Patrick Pang (Peabody, Mass.), junior Evans Oduro (Kumasi, Ghana) and sophomore Maxwell Davis (Stoneham, Mass.). The quartet heads into the George Davis Invitational coming off exceptional performances last week at the Merrimack Invitational.
 
The women's team hopes to dominate in several events with sophomores Martina Nkwantah (Pepperell, Mass.) and Alexandria Grasso (North Reading, Mass.), senior Rachel Hill (North Reading, Mass.) and freshman Sarah Ross (Agawam, Mass.) slated to compete. 
 
The competition at the Cushing Field Complex kicks off in the throwing circle at 10 a.m. Beginning at 10:30 a.m., runners will take to the track for the opening event, the women's 3,000 meter. In total, 11 teams will be represented at the George Davis Invitational including Dartmouth, New Hampshire, Vermont, Bryant, WPI, Merrimack, Bentley, St. Anslem, Assumption and SNHU.