UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's track and field team is set to take the short trip to Hamilton College on Saturday, March 30 for the Hamilton Continental Spring Invite. The meet is set to begin at 10 a.m.
Follow Along: Live results will be available via
https://www.leonetiming.com/schedule/.
Last Time Out: The team competed at the Oscar Moore Invite at Rowan University on Saturday, March 23. Due to the rain, a majority of the events could not be contested.
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda Fultonville) had the standout performance of the afternoon, as he won the 5000m with a time of 15:56.78, which is now eighth all-time in program history. Also in the 5000m,
Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollows Hills West) grabbed second place with a personal best of 16:18.87,
Joseph Santiago (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) was fourth (17:03.50) and
Forest Martin (Poland, NY/Poland Central) was fifth (17:51.78).
Hunter Logan (Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer College) and
Antwan Kelly (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) had great outings in the discus throw. Logan placed second with a 39.86m throw and Kelly finished fourth with a 33.07m throw.
Last Year at the Hamilton Invite: Andy Hadasz (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had a phenomenal day on the track, qualifying for regionals in all three of his events. He ran an all-time best in the 100m (11.01) placing third, and in the 200m (22.04) finishing second. His finish in the 200m also puts him at second all-time in team history for the event. Hadasz was also part of the men's 4x100 relay team which took first place along with
Zuriel Wright (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial),
Shane Tinney (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany), and
Ethan Kain (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) running a time of 43.14. In the men's 400m, both
Jonathan Simmons (Broadalbin, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) and Kain ran all-time bests, and each finished top five in the event. Simmons ran 52.27 to place third, and Kain ran his way to fourth with a time of 52.45. For the men's 3000m steeplechase, the Pioneers took four of the top five spots.
Michael Roberts (Remsen, NY/Remsen) was second with a time of 10:05.12,
Tobias Jeralds (Chatham, NY/Chatham) was third finishing at 10:31.35,
Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollows Hills West) took fourth with a time of 10:42.27, and
Zachary Brown (Milford, NY/Milford Central) finished fifth crossing the finish line at 10:59.66. The Pioneers had great performances in the field events as well. TyJon Billinger was third in the men's long jump with a leap of 6.29m, and jumped his way to first in the men's triple jump with a personal best of 13.21m. Billinger also finished fourth in the 400m hurdles in his first time running the event with a time of 1:00.25. The men's throws collectively had a great day as well.
Hunter Logan (Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer College) won the men's shot put with a toss of 14.70m. He was joined by four other Pioneers that placed top-ten as well, with
Justin Swavely (Rome, NY/RFA) placing third tossing 13.44m,
Billie Mays III (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) placing fifth with a throw of 12.91,
Michael McNeil (Yarmouth, ME/Yarmouth) was sixth with a throw of 12.76m, and
Jacob Barnes (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) took ninth with a toss of 11.67m. For the men's javelin throw,
Justin Swavely (Rome, NY/RFA) took first once again with a toss of 54.09. He was joined in the top-ten by Jeralds placing fourth with a throw of 45.32m,
Blake Hobin (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) was sixth, tossing 45.04, and Barnes took seventh with a throw of 44.80m. In the men's hammer throw,
Antwan Kelly (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) was fourth with a throw of 45.60m, and Swavely was just behind him at fifth, throwing 45.39m. For men's discus, Nathan Florian was second with a throw of 42.09, and Kelly took fourth tossing 39.09.
Going The Distance: Freshman
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda Fultonville) had a phenomenal cross-country and indoor track season and started off his outdoor career with a personal best. Melita has the school record for the 3000m and the cross country 8k. Despite the weather at Rowan on Saturday, the freshman still was able to run a 15:56.78 in the 5k which now sits at eighth all-time in program history. Melita will be a considerable point scorer for the Pioneers in this outdoor season's long-distance events.
Just In Time: Justin Swavely (Rome, NY/RFA) is coming off a NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships appearance in the javelin throw last outdoor season, where he placed ninth was a throw of 61.05m. At last year's Empire 8 Conference Championship, Swavely was the champion in javelin, third in hammer throw, and fourth in shot put. Swavely will look to begin his road back to nationals beginning at Hamilton on Saturday.
Dean's Routine: In his first collegiate indoor season, freshman
Connor Dean (Taberg, Ny/Camden) has shown his versatility on the track and in the jumping events. Dean competed in six events at the Empire 8 Indoor Conference Championships with three sprinting events and three jumps. The freshman was a top-five finisher in all three jumping events, all while posting a personal best in each of them. He was also a part of the 4x400m relay team that took first place with a time of 3:24.52 and had a podium finish in the 400m running a time of 51.04. The Pioneers will look to Dean for points in the sprints and jumping events during championship season.
Up Next: The Pioneers will return home to host the Pioneer Spring Invite. Day one will begin on Friday, April 5, and day two will follow on Saturday, April 6, with both times to be determined.
