The RPI track and field team experienced a truly amazing meet on May 3. The team competed in the NYSCTC Outdoor Track and Field Championships at St. Lawrence among 15 other Division III teams.
The RPI men’s team dominated the meet, winning with 204 points, the highest point total ever in the history of the NYSCTC Outdoor Track & Field Championship meet. Tremendous depth and teamwork led the RPI men to victory as 23 different athletes contributed to team scoring. Overall, the team scored in 17 of the 22 events including all three relays. In the individual events, the team scored more than 10 points in 11 different events. In nine of the events, three different RPI men’s athletes finished among the scoring places (top eight). In the 800, the RPI trio of Joe Otto, Adam Day, and Mike Winnick finished 1-2-3.
Top performers for the RPI men included Dwaine Alleyne, winning the 110 meter hurdles in 15.12 seconds and the triple jump with 47’ 2.25”, which qualified him for the NCAA meet; Ryan Quiller, winning the pole vault with a mark of 14’ 11.5”; and Jim Motzkin qualifying for the NCAAs by winning the javelin throw with 190’ 4”. Other RPI athletes achieving NCAA provisional qualifying marks were Nate Doyle, who placed second in shot put with 51’ 5.75”; Mike Johnson, who took second in the hammer throw with 182’ 6”; and Jack Miller, who took fifth in the hammer throw with 165’ 6”.
The meet proved to be very exciting for the women’s team as they earned a total of 55.5 points to place sixth in the team standings. Becky Lock had many incredible performances throughout the day which led her to set a new school record in all three of her events. Lock’s record setting races included fifth place in the 100 meter hurdles with 16.25 seconds, fourth place in the 400 m hurdles with 64.85 seconds, and fourth place in the 1600 meter relay with a time of 4:01:56 achieved in combination with the efforts of teammates Lauren Cephas, Alyssa Coffey, and Alysia Evanitsky. Another highlight of the meet was the women’s pole vault where all four RPI competitors earned scoring places. Allison Benson led the way by winning the event with new NYSCTC meet record and NCAA provisional mark of 11’ 5.25”. Fellow RPI vaulters Jess Pearson, Cara Rosato, and Corey Atwell finished in fourth, sixth, and eighth places with Rosato and Atwell achieving personal records.
The team not only has a spectacular championship meet to be proud of, but in addition, Head Coach Colin Tory was named the NYSCTC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year. Congratulations to everyone on a successful season!
