Men's Track: Walid Jarfani, LIU
Men's Field: Ethan Ruffin, FDU
Men's Rookie: Jayden Curry, LIU
Women's Track: Nina Connors, SFU
Women's Field: Sonjay Baylor-Reeves, LIU
Women's Rookie: Sonjay Baylor-Reeves, LIU
Previous Releases: Preseason Men's Poll |
Preseason Women's Poll
NEC MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Walid Jarfani, LIU
Sr., Distance, Settat, Morocco/ALLAL AL FASSI Qualifying Secondary School
Jarfani impressed in the distance events in last week’s UCF Black & Gold Invitational to open the outdoor campaign. The senior distance runner claimed the bronze in the 1500m with a personal record of 3:46.44, which is also a conference-best and ranks sixth in the nation. Jarfani added another PR with a 1:51.86 800m time, which is third in the NEC and 68
th in Division I.
NEC MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Ethan Ruffin, FDU
So., Jumps, Abingdon, MD/Calvert Hall
Ruffin started the outdoor season with a bang at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational last week. The sophomore jumper cleared a personal-best 2.17m in the high jump to place second at the meet. His mark ranks first in the NEC and is second in NCAA Division I. This is Ruffin’s third career NEC Field Athlete of the Week honor on the outdoor circuit. The Abingdon, MD native is fresh off a record-breaking high jump performance at the NEC Indoor Track & Field Championships after clearing 2.15m.
NEC MEN’S ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jayden Curry, LIU
Fr., Jumps/Mid-Distance, Williamsburg, VA
Competing at the UCF Black & Gold Challenge, Curry did it all for LIU last week. The freshman clocked a 3:56.74 800m mark to rank third in the conference and 165
th nationally. Additionally, Curry cleared 1.96m in the high jump to place eighth at the meet, tie for 81
st in the country and come in at fourth in the NEC. He also ran as part of the Sharks’ 4x400m relay squad that registered a 3:20.52 time, which ranks second on the league performance list and 93
rd in DI. This is the first time a LIU athlete has claimed NEC Rookie of the Week accolades since 2023.
NEC WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Nina Connors, Saint Francis
So., Distance, Adamstown, MD/Tuscarora
Connors showed out in the 3000m Steeplechase at the Charlotte 49er Classic last week. The sophomore distance runner recorded a new personal and Saint Francis program record with a 10:48.25 gold medal finish at the competition. Her time leads all runners in the conference and currently sits at sixth in the nation. Connors is the first Red Flash runner since 2022 to claim a NEC Track Athlete of the Week award.
NEC WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Sonjay Baylor-Reeves, LIU
Fr., Throws, Trenton, NJ
Baylor-Reeves kicked off her first outdoor season by sweeping the NEC Field Athlete and Rookie of the Week awards after her performance at the UCF Black & Gold Challenge. The freshman thrower placed sixth in the shot put with a personal and conference-best toss of 14.62m. Her shot put mark is also tied for 61st nationally. Baylor-Reeves added a 35.85m throw in the discus and a 46.11m toss in the hammer throw to place 19th in both events. Her discus mark is second on the NEC performance list, while her hammer throw is fourth. The Trenton, NJ native is the first LIU athlete to be tabbed NEC Field Athlete of the Week in 10 years and the first to win NEC Rookie of the Week honors since the 2013 season.
NEC WOMEN’S ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Sonjay Baylor-Reeves, LIU
Fr., Throws, Trenton, NJ
Baylor-Reeves kicked off her first outdoor season by sweeping the NEC Field Athlete and Rookie of the Week awards after her performance at the UCF Black & Gold Challenge. The freshman thrower placed sixth in the shot put with a personal and conference-best toss of 14.62m. Her shot put mark is also tied for 61st nationally. Baylor-Reeves added a 35.85m throw in the discus and a 46.11m toss in the hammer throw to place 19th in both events. Her discus mark is second on the NEC performance list, while her hammer throw is fourth. The Trenton, NJ native is the first LIU athlete to be tabbed NEC Field Athlete of the Week in 10 years and the first to win NEC Rookie of the Week honors since the 2013 season.
NEC MEN'S PRIME PERFORMERS
Ethan Ruffin, So., Jumps, FDU
Selected NEC Field Athlete of the Week.
High Jump: 2.17m (PR, 2nd at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational, 1st in NEC, 2nd in NCAA)
Phillip Baynes Jr., Jr., Jumps, LIU
Triple Jump: 14.83m (12th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 1st in NEC, 46th in NCAA)
Jayden Curry, Fr., Jumps/Mid-Distance, LIU
Named NEC Rookie of the Week.
1500m: 3:56.74 (32nd at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 3rd in NEC, 165th in NCAA)
High Jump: 1.96m (8th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 4th in NEC, T-81st in NCAA)
4x400m: 3:20.52 (12th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 2nd in NEC, 93rd in NCAA)
Walid Jarfani, Sr., Distance, LIU
Tabbed NEC Track Athlete of the Week.
800m: 1:51.86 (PR, 21st at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 3rd in NEC, 68th in NCAA)
1500m: 3:46.44 (PR, 3rd at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 1st in NEC, 6th in NCAA)
Robby Levy, So., Distance, LIU
5000m: 15:11.61 (8th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 1st in NEC, 157th in NCAA)
Brian Masai, So., Mid-Distance, LIU
800m: 1:51.65 (19th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 1st in NEC, 60th in NCAA)
1500m: 4:00.61 (PR, 37th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 6th in NEC)
4x400m: 3:20.52 (12th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 2nd in NEC, 93rd in NCAA)
Dugan Chase, So., Throws, SFU
Javelin: 56.29m, (PR, 6th at Charlotte 49er Classic, 2nd in NEC, 92nd in NCAA)
Clark Gulycz, So., Throws, SFU
Shot Put: 17.33m (2nd at Charlotte 49er Classic, 1st in NEC, 31st in NCAA)
Joseph Sevison, Jr., Throws, SFU
Discus: 46.88m (PR, 6th at Charlotte 49er Classic, 2nd in NEC, 139th in NCAA)
Hammer Throw: 48.90m (10th at Charlotte 49er Classic, 4th in NEC, 181st in NCAA)
Christopher Milillo, Sr., Throws, WAG
Hammer Throw: 60.44m (PR, 2nd at Richmond's Fred Hardy Invitational, 1st in NEC, 38th in NCAA)
Dario Sina de la Fuente, Sr., Throws, WAG
Javelin: 64.26m (1st at Richmond's Fred Hardy Invitational, 1st in NEC, 27th in NCAA)
Julio Tatis, So., Sprints, WAG
200m: 21.59 (3rd at Richmond's Fred Hardy Invitational, 2nd in NEC, T-196th in NCAA)
400m: 47.88 (1st at Richmond's Fred Hardy Invitational, 4th in NEC, 87th in NCAA)
NEC WOMEN'S PRIME PERFORMERS
Tata Coulibaly, Jr., Multis, FDU
200m: 26.83 (58th at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational,13th in NEC)
100m Hurdles: 14.15 (PR, 3rd at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational, 1st in NEC, 112th in NCAA)
4x100m: 47.68 (8th at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational, 2nd in NEC, 115th in NCAA)
Hammer Throw: 51.56m (PR, 1st at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational, 1st in NEC, 118th in NCAA)
Laile Davis, Gr., Throws, FDU
Shot Put: 11.52m (11th at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational, 3rd in NEC)
Discus: 29.44m (25th at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational, 7th in NEC)
Hammer Throw: 50.01m (3rd at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational, 2nd in NEC, 147th in NCAA)
Sonjay Baylor-Reeves, Fr., Throws, LIU
Named NEC Field Athlete of the Week and NEC Rookie of the Week.
Shot Put: 14.62m (PR, 6th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 1st in NEC, T-61st in NCAA)
Discus: 35.85m (19th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 2nd in NEC)
Hammer Throw: 46.11m (19th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 4th in NEC)
Hasnae Goulamzi, So., Distance, LIU
1500m: 4:31.22 (PR, 17th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 1st in NEC, 72nd in NCAA)
Shameka Samuel, Jr., Hurdles/Sprints, LIU
100m Hurdles: 15.45 (39th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 8th in NEC)
400m Hurdles: 1:05.54 (24th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 1st in NEC, 182nd in NCAA)
4x400m: 4:10.81 (15th at UCF Black & Gold Challenge, 3rd in NEC, 168th in NCAA)
Riley Davis, Fr., Sprints, NHVN
400m: 59.01 (1st at Wesleyan Swanson Invite, 1st in NEC)
4x400m: 4:08.92 (1st at Wesleyan Swanson Invite)
Jada Kamtha, Jr., Sprints, NHVN
200m: 25.71 (PR, 2nd at Wesleyan Swanson Invite, 3rd in NEC)
100m Hurdles: 14.56 (1st at Wesleyan Swanson invite, 3rd in NEC)
4x100m: 48.21 (1st at Wesleyan Swanson Invite, 3rd in NEC)
Gabrielle Teel, Sr., Jumps, NHVN
Long Jump: 5.18m (4th at Wesleyan Swanson Invite, 5th in NEC)
Triple Jump: 11.93m (1st at Wesleyan Swanson, Invite, 1st in NEC)
Nina Connors, So., Distance, SFU
Slected as NEC Track Athlete of the Week.
3000m Steeplechase: 10:48.25 (PR, SFU Record, 1st at Charlotte 49er Classic, 1st in NEC, 6th in NCAA)
Rylee Nicklas So., Throws, SFU
Shot Put: 10.77m (25th at Charlotte 49er Classic, 6th in NEC)
Discus: 32.82m (23rd at Charlotte 49er Classic, 4th in NEC)
Hammer Throw: 41.50m (19th at Charlotte 49er Classic, 5th in NEC)
Javelin: 33.57m (9th at Charlotte 49er Classic, 1st in NEC)
Rylee Ferretti, So., Distance, WAG
5000m: 17:34.96 (3rd at Richmond's Fred Hardy Invitational, 1st in NEC, 37th in NCAA)
2026 NEC Outdoor Track & Field Weekly Awards Winners
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Mar. 26: Walid Jarfani, LIU
Apr. 1:
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Mar. 26: Ethan Ruffin, FDU
Apr. 1:
MEN'S ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Mar. 26: Jayden Curry, LIU
Apr. 1:
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Mar. 26: Nina Connors, SFU
Apr. 1:
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Mar. 26: Sonjay Baylor-Reeves, LIU
Apr. 1:
WOMEN'S ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Mar. 26: Sonjay Baylor-Reeves, LIU
Apr. 1: