GASPAR QUALIFIES FOR ECAC CHAMPIONSHIP

GASPAR QUALIFIES FOR ECAC CHAMPIONSHIP

May 3, 2008

New London, CT - Several members of the Emmanuel Men's and Women's Track & Field Teams traveled to the United States Coast Guard Academy on Friday and Saturday to compete in the New England Division III Championships. For most of the athletes, this was their final meet of the season. However, one Emmanuel athlete earned the opportunity to compete in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship and another earned All New England honors.

Throughout the spring season, there have been consistent personal improvements among the Emmanuel College athletes and many new program records set. This year, the Saints saw the highest contingency of athletes qualify for the New England Division III Championships.

Junior Captain Christine Gaspar (Attleboro, MA) represented Emmanuel on Friday, competing in the 10 km. She improved upon her personal best by over a minute with a time of 40:17.68. Gaspar placed 18th overall and qualified to compete in the ECAC Championships on May 15th at Springfield College.

The women's 4x400 meter relay team also made out very well. Freshmen Kelsey Fitzpatrick (Milford, MA), Alison Lynch (Pawtucket, RI), senior Emily McCaffrey (East Greenwich, RI) and junior Cathryn Lariviere (Windham, NH) finished 16th overall and broke the program record with a time of 4:35.39. McCaffrey also represented Emmanuel in the 3k steeplechase. She finished 23rd with a time of 12:30.63

Fitzpatrick and Lynch then teamed up with sophomores Katie Beaton (Groveland, MA) and Ashley Adamson (Scituate, MA) for the 4x100 meter race. The team finished 17th overall with a time of 54.88

The men's 4x400 meter relay team, consisting of senior Mike Thurnauer (Reading, MA), freshman John Hieber (Peabody, MA), senior Matt Hickey (North Attleboro, MA), and senior Rob Allen (Plymouth, MA) placed 17th overall with a time of 3:34.18. Allen also ran the 400 meters for Emmanuel and finished 23rd with a time of 52.37.

Freshman Thomas Ryan Maher (Gales Ferry, CT) earned All New England honors with his 8th place finish in the 110 meter hurdles. He ran his personal best, finishing in 15.91. Sophomore Sarah Soldano (Bethel, CT) placed 12th in the high jump (4'11") and 13th in the long jump (16'0.25")

For complete results from the New England Division III Championships, go to: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/08/ct/May3_NewEng_set1.shtml