Track and field wins New England championship

The UConn men’s track and field team overwhelmed their competition en route to their eighth consecutive New England Championship over the weekend.

Going against some of the best opposition in the New England area, UConn scored 164.5 total points at the meet, 67 points more than the second place team, Rhode Island College. Only one other school was able to post as many points as UConn’s margin of victory, as Northeastern University finished in third with 74. It was UConn’s 19th New England Championship title in the last twenty years.

“The team competed really well,” Head Coach Gregory Roy said. “Actually, we were a little sharper than we were at the Big East [Championship].”

The Huskies claimed five first place titles over the two day competition, their most in a single meet this season. Junior Cory Duggan took first place in the pole vault with a record breaking leap of 5.26 meters. The leap not only broke the New England Championship record previously held by Duggan’s older brother, Kyle, but also broke the UConn school record.

“To put it simply, it was a long time coming,” Dugan said. “Ever since last year’s outdoor season, I knew I had the tools to jump higher. One of my goals for this indoor season was to take down the school record and label myself as the best and highest pole-vaulter to come through UConn.” Before the meet, Duggan even told his teammates, coach and brother that he was going to break the mark.

“Some people would say that’s really cocky or arrogant, but I was really just confident in myself, and the work I put in over the season to follow through on my promise,” Duggan said.

Claiming another of UConn’s first place finishes was sophomore Selwyn Maxwell Jr., who ran a personal-best 7.87 seconds in the 60 meter hurdle. Not to be outdone, junior Kyle Twombly finished first with a personal best of his own in the 500 meter race, finishing in 1:03.25.

Sophomores Philip Adams, James Agati and Alexander Levine also teamed up with freshman Nicholas O’Leary to take first place in the 4x800 meter relay with a time of 7:33.83.

Rounding out the Huskies slew of first place finishes was senior Josh Faboyede, who had a fling of 19.27 meters in the weight throw.

Maxwell Jr. and Twombly were just two of 12 Huskies to set personal bests at the meet.

“[Winning the New England title] really is just the icing on the cake to our season,” Duggan said. “I’m really happy for the guys on the team and the coaches who were tabbed the Big East Coaching Staff of the Year.”

The Huskies will look to continue their championship season as they head to the IC4A Championships in Boston, Mass. this weekend.