West Long Branch, NJ - History repeated itself on the Jersey Shore-based campus of Monmouth University. Having never lost a conference competition on its home turf, the Hawks held on to outlast Robert Morris for first place in the team standings at the 2011 NEC Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The host Hawks tallied 143.50 points compared to 133 for the runner-up Colonials.
Sacred Heart held out hope for the team title all the way until the next-to-last event, settled for third place with 120 points. Reigning NEC Indoor team champion Central Connecticut scored 114 points to finish fourth.
Monmouth won the crown despite not having a single athlete claim any of the four major post-meet individual awards.
“Our men actually have not lost on this track and this was going to be their toughest one ever,” said Monmouth's veteran head coach Joe Compagni. “It was a total team effort.”
Two of the four honors went to Sacred Heart hurdler Jeremy Rosado (Brooklyn, NY/Grady). The second-year Pioneer struck gold in both the 110m and 400m hurdle races, logging a pair of IC4A Championship qualifying times in the process. For his efforts, Rosado claimed the NEC Most Outstanding Track Performer honor and the Most Valuable Performer award.
Robert Morris experienced its best team finish during the tenure of head coach Michael Smith. Eighteen of the Colonials’ 133 team points came courtesy of sophomore thrower Stephen Mitchell (Pittsburgh, PA/Pittsburgh Central Catholic) who captured the NEC Most Outstanding Field Performer honor.
“I’m not one for winning awards as long as my team does good I usually happy,” said Mitchell. “It hasn’t hit me yet, but I’m sure on the bus ride home there’ll be a enough time for it to kick in.”
Only three weeks removed from the spring football season, the starting defensive end for the reigning NEC champion Colonials took first place in the hammer throw and second in the shot put.
“It [spring] was wild. I competed at the IC4As indoors in the weight throw and then went back to football for spring ball. I finished up [football] on the 28th [of April] so this meet is technically my second track meet of the year,” recounted Mitchell of the whirlwind that’s his semester’s been.
St. Francis (NY) freshman David Fajoyomi (Budapest, Hungary) earned the NEC Most Outstanding Rookie award. One day after winning the high jump, earned a bronze medal in the 100m dash and scored a fifth-place finish in the 200m.
Rosado had stiff competition from a familiar face in the 110m hurdles. Teammate Bertony Jean-Louis (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon), who notched a Northeast Conference record while out-running Rosado in the 60m hurdles at this past February’s indoor meet, was the top seed heading into this weekend’s competition. Barely a step behind Rosado (14.49), Jean-Louis clocked in at 14.52 for second place.
“That’s a stiff rivalry, one of the biggest rivalries in the NEC,” said Rosado of his ongoing competition with Jean-Louis. “We’re on the same team which makes it crazy.”
Central Connecticut sprinter Aaron Radden (Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart HS) won the NEC Indoor MVP in February and made a serious bid for outdoor honors on Sunday. The Blue Devil can say he is “The Fastest Man in the NEC” after running to victory in the 100m. He also sprinted to victory in the 200m dash, registering a 21.31.
A talent-rich shot put field saw its top-seven finishers eclipse the qualifying standard for the IC4A Championships. The event’s results went a long way in helping determine the team champion. With the Hawks in a tight race and NEC Indoor MVP and Shot Put champion not available to compete, senior Tom Ciccoli (King of Prussia, PA/Archbishop Carroll) delivered a huge win. Ciccoli capped his Northeast Conference career by putting the shot 16.64m (54’ 7.25”) and winning the competition by over one foot.
2011 NEC Outdoor Track & Field Individual Honors
Most Valuable Performer
Jeremy Rosado, Sacred Heart
Most Outstanding Track Performer
Jeremy Rosado, Sacred Heart
Most Outstanding Field Performer
Stephen Mitchell, Robert Morris
Most Outstanding Rookie
David Fajoyomi, St. Francis (NY)
Coach of the Year
J. Michael Smith, Robert Morris