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 Beth Crocus, Richmond |
May 5, 2007
CHARLOTTE, NC - Vying for their fifth team titles in the last six years, the Rhode Island men's and women's teams are atop the standings after the opening day of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held on Saturday at the Irwin Belk Track & Field Center on the campus of University of North Carolina Charlotte.
Led by junior Ryan MaCarthy's gold medal performance in the javelin (202-11) and runner-up showing in the discus (162-06), URI compiled 100 points thru nine events, while Duquesne is second with 56 points. Defending champion Charlotte is third with 43 points, followed by La Salle (34), Temple (31), Fordham (30), Massachusetts (18), Richmond (16), Saint Joseph's (15) and Xavier (eight). Saint Louis did not score in the opening day of competition.
Duquense's Matt Murawski leads the decathlon after five events with 3,535 points, while sophomore Matt DiBuono of Fordham became the program's first-ever gold medalist outdoors in the hammer throw after recording a mark of 187-11.
"I've been improving over the past few weeks and despite being nervous I knew I could compete with the rest of the field today," said DiBuono, who finished two feet ahead of Rhode Island's Mike DeBernardo.
"I have worked hard and am happy to become Fordham's first-ever hammer throw champion at the A-10 Championship.
Despite a steady rain, Charlotte's 4x800m relay blistered the track in a facility and Championship record time of 7:28.97 to edge defending champion La Salle (7:30.27). The previous meet record of 7:30.24 was set by the Explorers in 1998.
"To come in and knock off La Salle on the opening day of the Championship was a great feeling," said Charlotte sophomore Chase Eckard, who ran the anchor leg for the 49ers.
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"The entire relay was tremendous. I was just hoping to have the lead with 200 meters remaining."
In the final event of the evening, sophomore Josh Eddy of Duquesne won the 10,000m run in a facility record-time of 30:41.94.
On the women's side, Sara Thornton (173-0) and Katie Kostiew (164-9) captured silver and bronze in the hammer throw as Rhode Island compiled 58.5 points thru nine events, while 2006 champion Charlotte is second with 46 points. Richmond is in third place with 43 points, followed by Fordham (35), Duquesne (28.5), La Salle (28), Dayton (26.5), Massachusetts (26), Temple (23), Xavier (16), Saint Joseph's (15.5) and Saint Louis (five).
Senior Christina DeRosa of Massachusetts posted a meet-record time of in the 10,000m. She eclipsed the previous mark of 36:56.65, set by Cindy Smith of Rhode Island last year.
Kerstin Greene of Fordham leads the heptathlon after four events with 3,122 points, while Richmond's Beth Crocus, the 2006 A-10 Most Outstanding Field Performer, defended her titles in the hammer throw and javelin with marks of 175-4 and 137-6, respectively.
"Beth is a tremendous athlete and her confidence is so high," said Richmond head coach Lori Taylor.
"She is focused on helping her team win and just getting it done."
Competition commences on Sunday, May 6 with the decathlon at 8:45am, while the heptathlon starts at 9am. For complete coverage of the Championship, log on to www.atlantic10.org.
