By Emily McCarthy, News Correspondent
The Northeastern track teams traveled to Yale University in New Haven, Conn. this weekend to compete in the Giegengack Invitational at Coxe Cage. Athletes on both the men’s and women’s teams recorded new personal bests and qualified for the New England and Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) competitions.
On the men’s side, sophomore Jason Matthews won the triple jump with a New England qualifying leap of 13.98 meters. Junior Jackson MacDonald qualified for the New England meet and took the second spot in the long jump with a mark of 6.92 meters. MacDonald also came in fifth in the 60-meter hurdles.
Junior Max Milder continued to succeed in the weight throw as he captured third place with a New England and Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) qualifying mark of 18.09 meters. Junior Brian Doyle also qualified for the New England and IC4A competitions in the mile with a third-place time of 4:13:46.
The Huskies dominated the 400-meter dash as junior Alex Shapiro came in second with a time of 49.82 seconds and freshman Donovan Henry took third with a personal best time of 50.12 seconds. Both runners qualified for the New England competition.
“Alex Shapiro ran well in the 400,” Catherine Erickson, director of track and field and cross country, said. “He can be a very versatile person for us.”
Erickson also highlighted Henry’s accomplishments.
“One thing that stood out for me was that Donovan Henry qualified for the 400 with a collegiate best time,” she said.
Henry said that he is looking forward to running in the New England meet.
“By the time we get to New England, I’d like to get my 400 time down to 0.49 or 0.48,” he said. “That’s the goal.”
On the women’s side, graduate student Nia Howard won the long jump with a New England and ECAC qualifying mark of 5.94 meters. She also finished fifth in the 60-meter hurdles. Graduate student Lauren Bennett qualified for the ECAC meet and took the second spot in the pole vault with a new personal best mark of 3.60 meters. Senior Jillena Decarteret’s vault of 3.45 meters captured the fourth spot.
Senior Eryn Wheeler finished second in the 500-meter dash and junior Chelsea Hudson finished fourth. Sophomore Victoria Alexander took the sixth spot in the 200-meter dash and ran a new personal best time in the 400-meter dash.
The Huskies will travel to Boston University on Friday and compete in the Valentine Invitational.
Erickson emphasized the importance of continuing to work hard in every meet in order to qualify for the New England competition.
“The goal every week is to get better,” she said. “It’s a long season.”
