Season in Review

7/8/2022 1:58:00 PM

LOWELL, Mass.—Transitioning from a competitive and exciting run in the fall, the UMass Lowell track and field team kept their championship energy alive as they sprinted headfirst into a successful spring semester across the indoor and outdoor campaigns.

2019 America East Indoor Track and Field Championship

Wasting no time, the River Hawks got to work early on the indoor slate as they opened the season at the Alden Invite hosted by Brown and the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener hosted by BU.

Graduate student Emily Sessa and junior John Riley had explosive starts to their seasons in Boston. Sessa secured her name in the UMass Lowell record books with a personal best and program record in the women’s 3,000m, crossing in 9:23.32 to take 10th overall.

Tackling the 5,000m for the men, Riley commanded the track to register the third-fastest time in program history in the event with a 14:02.26 pace.

It was great to get the indoor season started. We had some outstanding performances today, and it was extra special with this being our first full indoor meets in two years.

Gary Gardner, Head Coach

Closing the book on 2022, a trio of River Hawks traveled to Rhode Island for the URI Heptathlon and Pentathlon for one final weekend of competition before ringing in the New Year. Freshmen Luke Stelmach and Fleur Balogh de Galantha as well as sophomore Rebecca Crosier made their collegiate debuts in the multi-events for the River Hawks, finishing fifth, 10th and 15th, respectively.

Returning from the holidays, the River Hawks went right back to work as they ventured to Boston for the Beantown Challenge and Harvard Multi-Event Meet. The team brought in several PRs and claimed third for the men’s side and fourth for the women’s side at the Beantown Challenge. Meanwhile, the freshmen duo of Fleur Balogh de Galantha and Luke Stelmach continued their multi-event success with seventh and third-place marks at the Harvard Multi.

The River Hawks put in work on the track as they took on the Sorlein Invite, the Battle in Beantown and the John Thomas Terrier Classic to round out their January run. The team continued fine-tuning as the end of the season drew closer and the 2022 AE Indoor Championships lingered on the horizon. With final tests at the Harvard Elite Meet, the BU Scarlet and White Meet, the David Hemery Valentine Invitational and a tri-meet with neighbors to the north UNH, the River Hawks dialed in on the postseason.

A season’s worth of hard work came to fruition at the 2022 America East Indoor Championships at BU as the men’s team secured the championship and the women’s squad matched their highest program finish with second overall.

Additionally, graduate student Derek Holmes helped lift the team to victory after smashing a 24-year-old conference record in the men’s 3,000 meters, crossing in 8:10.07. Graduate student Chris Alfond capped his collegiate career with the Coaches Award, given to the student-athlete with the most points across the two-day competition. The decorated men’s coaching staff also received recognition, winning the 2022 Coaching Staff of the Year award.

Eager to extend her indoor run, senior middle-distance specialist Izzy Giesing returned to the home of the Terriers for the Last Chance Meet. Leaving it all on the track once more, the Vermont native clocked a 2:03.95 finish in the 800-meter run to set a new personal and program record and punch her ticket to the NCAA Indoor Championships.

With her spot, Giesing became just the second River Hawk ever to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

The River Hawks did not miss a step as they moved outside for the start of the outdoor campaign. Opening the slate, the squad went straight to work as the team split time between the 2022 Raleigh Relays and the 2022 UMass Lowell Invitational on home turf.

Graduate student Benjamin Drezek sparked the season full of school records with an outstanding performance in Raleigh. The Rhode Island product posted an 8:46.19 time in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase to become the new UMass Lowell outdoor record holder in the event.

Keeping in line with the success in the south, Izzy Giesing picked up second overall in the women’s 800 meter at the Raleigh Relays, earning her the fourth-fastest time in the nation and America East Track Performer of the Week honors.

The River Hawks hit the road again on the hunt for personal bests and program records as they traveled to Williamsburg, Va., for the 2022 Colonial Relays. Fired up and focused, the field athletes excelled as James Kotowski and Rachel Hill came back with new program records under their belts.

A freshman, Kotowski stunned in the javelin throw, tossing to an outstanding 216’2” mark to claim second and smash the previous program mark of 209’9” set in 2014.

Hill soared to a fifth-place finish in the pole vault, coasting over 12’1.5” to become the new program record holder in the event.

The stellar spring continued for the River Hawks as they trekked through the season. A quick trip down to Providence proved to be a major moment for the team as they watched UMass Lowell history being made.

Competing in the men’s mile, graduate student Derek Holmes achieved a feat all runners strive for: a sub-four-minute mile. Clocking in at 3:59. 57, Holmes became the first-ever River Hawk to come in under four minutes.

With the back half of the season underway, the team turned its focus towards postseason potential and kept perfecting and practicing with stops at the Merrimack College Invite, the Larry Ellis Invitational and the Virginia Challenge. The River Hawks then returned to the familiar and friendly confines of the Cushing Field Athletic Complex with just two meets left on the calendar to host the 2022 George Davis Invitational in front of friends, family and fans.

In front of a lively crowd, James Kotowski shattered his own school record for the third time to reach 233’5” for his best toss of the season.

The final weekend of the regular outdoor season mirrored the successes of the season as Derek Holmes traveled to the Penn Relays for one last go-around before conference championships. Tackling the 5,000 meter, Holmes picked up his second program record of the year with a 13:55.31 time down in Philadelphia.

Chasing down top finishes at the 2022 America East Outdoor Championships, the River Hawks turned in strong performances across the board to secure second-place finishes on both the men’s and women’s sides. In total, the River Hawks finished with six individual champions and a gold medal in the women’s 4x800m relay.

Following the conclusion of the outdoor campaign, the team awaited to see who would be moving on to the NCAA East Preliminaries in Bloomington, Ind. For just the second time in program history, the River Hawks earned five individual bids to Bloomington with James Kotowski, Derek Holmes, Ben Drezek, Izzy Giesing and Jenna Solimine punching their tickets.

With the dust settled on the season, freshman Nate DeAngelo kept the action rolling during the summer for the River Hawks. After posting a qualifying time in the men’s 1,500m, DeAngelo headed west to Eugene, Ore., to represent the Mill City at the 2022 USATF U20 Championships.

In the classroom much like on the track, the team earned several academic accolades during the indoor and outdoor seasons with eleven America East All-Academic Team selections for the outdoor and indoor squads.

A pivotal member of the UMass Lowell community in and out of athletics, senior jumper Juan Avelino was named a finalist for the 2022 America East Man of the Year after his incredible work on the track, in the classroom and in his community.

May. 08, 2022; Burlington, Vermont, USA; during the 2022 America East Championships at Frank H. Livak Track & Field Facility at Archie Post Athletic Complex. Photo by Brian Foley for Foley-Photography.com.

Much like his teammate, sprinter Joseph Young earned recognition for his efforts in the community. An active member of the SAAC Executive Board, Young's involvement in an array of community service endeavors earned him a spot on the 2022 America East Helping Hands team.