Indoor Track & Field Preps for GNAC Championship Sunday, Women's Team Voted No. 1 in Pre-Meet Poll

WINTHROP, Mass. – Emmanuel women's indoor track and field has been voted to the No. 1 spot in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Pre-Championship poll, as announced by the conference office on Friday afternoon.

In total, the five head coaches of the GNAC indoor track and field programs vote in the pre-championship poll, resulting in the Saints getting 23 of a possible 25 points, with three first-place votes and two second-place votes.

Emmanuel women's indoor track and field is no stranger to the podium over the last three seasons after back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2023. The Saints women won the inaugural GNAC Championship in 2020 while the 2021 championship was cancelled due to COVID.

The depth of the Saints team could make the difference on Sunday afternoon at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center. In the field, seniors Sasha Hyacinthe (Stoughton, Mass.) and Alyssa French-Graham (Waterbury, Conn.) and first-year Ava Fisher (Abington, Mass.) hold the top-three throws in the shotput on the GNAC Performance List this year.

Sophomore Paula Salazar (Cumberland, R.I.) and senior Beverly Browne (Amesbury, Mass.) are first and third, respectively, in the pole vault, heading into the 2024 Championship Meet. Junior Cynthia Brito (Whitman, Mass.) and sophomore Emily Greene (Swansea, Mass.) are both third-best in the triple jump and high jump, respectively.

On the track, first-year Kendall Newton (Gloucester, Mass.) holds third place on the performance list in the mile and 800 meters. Senior Emma Krantz (Manchester, N.H.) is fourth in the mile and fifth in the 800 meters this season. Senior Adeline LeGault (Farmington, Conn.) ranks top-five in the 60-meters, 200-meters, and 400-meters.

Behind them in the poll, Colby-Sawyer received 20 points, including a pair of first-place tallies. Senior Ashley Keleher (Mashpee, Mass.) carries an impressive resume into the Championship Meet, ranking first in the GNAC Performance List in the 60 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, and triple jump. She also ranks second in the long jump among GNAC athletes this year. An afternoon like that on Sunday would total 48 points for the Chargers team score.

Regis was close behind with 17 points in the poll. First-year Aleyo Amasa-Titus (Georgetown, Mass.) has the second-best 200-meter and 400-meter times, and second-best triple jump in the GNAC this year. The rookie athlete is also part of the Pride's 4x400 team, who is fastest in the conference this year. Junior Anastazia Copeland (West Hartford, Conn.) has the best mark in the weight throw among all GNAC competitors.

Rounding out the women's poll, Saint Joseph's College of Maine was voted fourth while Lasell took the fifth and final spot in the rankings.

On the men's side, Saint Joseph's College took all five first-place votes, earning 25 of 25 possible points in the poll. Regis and Colby-Sawyer were second and third, respectively, in the poll with 18 and 17 points. Lasell and Emmanuel finished the rankings in fourth and fifth.

 The GNAC Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships takes place on Sunday, Feb. 18 at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center. The meet is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.