HOUGHTON, NY - The Utica University men's track and field team finished second at the Empire 8 Championships with 160.4 points.
 
Michael McNeil (Yarmouth, ME/Yarmouth) was awarded the E8 Torchbearer award for the highest GPA.
 
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda Fultonville) won the 3000m with a time of 8:45.93 which was AARTFC qualifying and nearly five seconds faster than second place.
 
The men's 4x400m team composed of Tanner Warren (Mohawk, NY/Central Valley Academy), Connor Dean (Taberg, Ny/Camden), Jonathan Simmons (Broadalbin, NY/Broadalbin-Perth), and Andy Hadasz (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) took home first with a time of 3:24.52 which qualified for AARTFC.
 
Antwan Kelly (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) took the top spot in the weight throw with a mark of 17.75m which came on his third attempt. Spencer Borghardt (Melville, NY/St.Anthony's) came in third with a top mark of 15.52m with Justin Swavely's (Rome, NY/RFA) 15.20m earning fourth.
 
The Pioneers dominated the 200m taking home five of the top seven spots. Andy Hadasz (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) won the event with an AARTFC qualifying 22.19 with Tanner Warren (Mohawk, NY/Central Valley Academy) finishing second with a 22.61. Utica went 5-6-7 with Nolan Flynn (Bethel, CT/Bethel) (23.00), Ethan Kain (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) (23.10), and Connor Dean (Taberg, Ny/Camden) (23.18) all turning in fantastic outings.
 
Utica did well in the 60m with Hadasz taking second clocking in at 7.09 and qualifying for AARTFC. Nolan Flynn (Bethel, CT/Bethel) (7.21) finished fourth with Ethan Kain (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) (7.30) taking sixth with all earning some crucial points for Utica.
 
Andrew Weider took second in the heptathlon with 4,261 total points. Jeffery Forkhamer (Parish, NY/Altmar-Parish) also did well earning 3,462 points to place sixth.
 
Qualified athletes will head to the AARTFC Indoor Championships hosted by Nazareth University beginning on Friday, March 1st at noon.