NEW YORK, NY - The Utica University track and field team headed downstate to compete against the best in the east during this weekend's AARTFC Indoor Track and Field Regional Championships. Down at the Armory Track in New York City, Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville), and the Pioneer elite smashed their limits, with SEVEN new school records being set at the event, of which Townsend and Melita were responsible for two apiece. The orange and blue athletes elevated their performances to match the top-tier competition, resulting in the most impactful meet of the season so far in terms of record-breaking outings. The men placed an outstanding fourth, while the women finished in 11th.
 
SCHOOL RECORDS
Spencer Borghardt (Smithtown, NY/St.Anthony's) - Weight Throw - 2nd - 18.86m (13th NCAA DIII)
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) - 5000m - 3rd - 14:55.60
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) - 3000m - 3rd - 8:30.99
Women's 4x400m (McClendon, Messler, Simmons, Williams) - 7th - 3:57.36
Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) - 3000m - 9th - 10:12.48
Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) - 5000m - 12th - 18:14.48
Laura Suppa (Canastota, NY/Canastota) - 60mh - (4th in finals) - 8.64 (Prelims)
 

ALL-TIME PROGRAM TOP 10'S
#2 Stefania Grimaldi (Poland, NY/Poland Central) - Pentathlon - 7th - 2938 points
#2 Men's Distance Medley Relay (Tob. Jeralds, Smith, Leotta, Martin) - 8th - 10:22.00
#2 Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) - 3000m - 13th - 8:44.12
#2 Catherine Manna (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) - 800m - 28th - 2:21.58
#3 Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) - 200m - 12th - 25.52
#3 Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) - 400m - 7th - 57.75
#3 Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)) - Triple Jump - 6th - 14.22
#4 Isabella Frick (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) - 60mh - 26th - 9.44
 
Program top-10s reflect an individual's best performance ranked against the other 9 best performances in the event. An athlete cannot be ranked twice, as each athlete's top performance determines their ranking.
 
Meet Summary
 
Overview: The meet was characterized by the handful of school records that fell during the two-day outing. Friday saw four program bests, while Saturday featured an additional three broken records.
 
Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) put in a terrific meet, showing out on both days of the event as she set two different school records. On Friday, the sophomore star won her heat in the 5000m, also setting a program-best time at 18:14.48. The next day, Townsend struck again, taking home another top time. On this occasion, it was the 3000m record that fell victim to Townsend's tirade, with the sophomore runner logging a 10:12.48.
 
Also leaving with multiple long-distance records was marathon man Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville), who continued to stake his claim as one of, if not the best, long-distance runners in Utica men's track and field history. Much like Townsend, Melita was able to snag the 3000m and 5000m records at the event. Melita would begin by grabbing the program's top time in the 5000m on Friday, finishing third to grab bronze while putting up a time of 14:55.60. On Saturday, Melita managed to level up once again, claiming yet another long-distance record as he set a new program best for the 3000m. Melita's time of 8:30.99 was not only good enough to set a new program best, but also helped him to secure his second bronze of the weekend in a stacked field of the northeast's best long-distance athletes. Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) nearly kept pace with the Pioneers' lead man in both races, as the rookie had a pair of great outings in his own right, finishing with the second-best mark in program history for both events, netting a 15:03.12 in the 5000m while taking 6th place, and then managing an 8:44.12 in 3000m on Saturday.
 
Townsend and Melita are the only athletes so far this season to take home two records in two different events during the same meet.
 
Laura Suppa (Canastota, NY/Canastota) continued to surpass herself in the 60-meter hurdles, setting yet another record, this time with a mark of 8:64 in the prelims. She would finish fourth in a stacked 60mh field, while also running to sixth in the 60m finals, both of which concluded on Saturday.
 
Spencer Borghardt's (Smithtown, NY/St.Anthony's) Saturday showcase could have likely helped punch his ticket to the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships. In the weight throw, the senior strongman reclaimed his crown from teammate Joshua Talbot (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), as he tossed an outrageous 18.86m to place second and retake the program record. Additionally, Borghardt's toss was good enough for 13th in all of Division III, placing him in pole position to break into the NCAA DIII Championships, as the top 20 performers in each event qualify. Talbot also did spectacularly, placing fifth with a long toss of 17.97m.
 
Finally, the women's 4x400m relay team continued the trend of Pioneer quartets who have brought home school records this season, as the group of Arianna McClendon (Rome, NY/New York Mills), Lilly Messler (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville), Lacey Simmons (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), and Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) finished in seventh place with a 3:57.36.
 
Best of the Rest:
 
The Men's DMR team logged another solid outing on Friday, as the quartet of Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central), Riley Smith (Westmoreland, NY/Westmoreland Central), Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West), and Forst Martin ran to the #2 all-time program time, finishing in 8th with a 10:22.00
 
Stefania Grimaldi (Poland, NY/Poland Central) opened the competition with numerous events in the pentathlon. After the dust had settled, the all-around athlete ended with a spectacular score, grabbing the #2 score in program history to finish 7th with 2938 points.
 
Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) did well heading into a likely NCAA DIII Championships appearance, throwing a 13.19m in the shot put to bag a bronze.
 
Isabella Frick (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) also competed well in the 60m prelim, grabbing the #4 spot on the all-time list with a 9.44.
 
Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)) did well in his first AARTFC appearance, as the rookie leaped a personal best 14.22m to jump into #3 all-time and log a spot in the finals. Following that finals appearance, he solidified a sixth-place finish, a solid outing for the freshman leaper.
 
Up Next: The top Pioneer performers will now head south to participate in next weekend's NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships down in Birmingham, Alabama. The event begins next Friday, March 13th, and will feature orange and blue athletes who managed to make the top-20 marks in their respective events against athletes from all over the country. Among the Pioneers likely to make the trip are Laura Suppa (Canastota, NY/Canastota), Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), and Spencer Borghardt (Smithtown, NY/St.Anthony's). Check out next week's preview for a final list of entries to the indoor season's