GM Week was anything but light for the Rensselaer men’s and women’s track & field teams, as they competed in three meets over a five-day stretch. On Tuesday the Engineers made up their opening meet of the season with Springfield, which had been postponed from the previous Saturday, April 2. The next day RPI traveled to Clinton, N.Y., to face Hamilton and Colgate before wrapping up the week in Cambridge, Mass., at the Engineers’ Cup against MIT and WPI.
The meets are what Head Coach Colin Tory considers preparatory meets as the team tries to get itself ready for the Liberty League Championships next Saturday, April 16 and the state meet on May 1. Both teams garnered several outstanding performances in various events and five student-athletes were selected by the Liberty League for weekly honors.
For the men, Lance Chase took Co-Field Performer of the Week after placing first three different times throughout the week. The junior from Fort Johnson, N.Y., nearly swept the throwing events at the Hamilton meet, taking first in hammer and discus throws and second in the shot put. Chase followed up his Wednesday clinic with an equally impressive display at the Engineers’ Cup, winning the discus while taking second and third in the shot put and hammer throw, respectively.
Sophomore standout Kemar Brown’s three first place finishes earned him Track Performer of the Week honors from the Liberty League. Brown blew by the competition in the 100-meter, winning the event at both meets. The St. Albans, Vt., native’s time of 10.71 at the Engineers’ Cup was an NCAA provisional qualifying time. Brown also took first in the 200-meter at the Hamilton meet and placed a close second in Cambridge.
The men also got event victories from Jimmy Motzkin in the javelin, Okechuku Ekwuabu in the high jump, and Jason Langley in the pole vault. Corey McCormack took second in the hammer throw and Alhassane Diallo took second in the 100-meter once this weekend each.
The women’s team was equally impressive this weekend, earning three all-league honors to coincide with several sensational performances. Carol Scalice was the Liberty League Track Performer of the Week and began the outdoor season right where she ended the indoor season, on top. The sophomore from Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., posted three top finishes along with one second and one third place finish. Scalice’s three victories all came Saturday in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and long jump, while her second place finish took place in the long jump and her third place finish occurred in the 100-meter at the Hamilton meet.
Sue Madden was named Liberty League Field Performer of the Week after taking two victories, one second place, and three third places away from the week. Madden won the shot put at each meet and took third in the hammer throw at each venue. The Reading, Mass., native took second in the discus at the Engineers’ Cup and third in Clinton.
Freshman Marion Albert rounded out the Liberty League awards for the Engineers after being named Rookie of the Week. The Norwich, Va., native only competed in Saturday’s Engineers’ Cup, but certainly left her mark. In addition to taking second in the 200-meter sprint, Albert was a member of the victorious 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relay squads. The 4x100 team set a school record with a time of 49.57 seconds.
Other winners at the Engineers’ Cup included Jen Dias in the 400-meter hurdles, Alysia Evanitsky in the 400-meter, Rebecca Lock in the 100-meter, and Heather Maffei in the discus.
