With championship season approaching for the Massachusetts track teams, the final regular season meet – the Valentine Invitational – was hosted by Boston University at the Track and Tennis Center, this past weekend.
It was a high volume field at the Valentine Invitational, which pleased UMass coach Ken O’Brien, because with the large field comes good competition for those at the front of the races.
“The top percent of the fields are certainly equal to most college conference championship races,” said O’Brien. “You get the chance to compete with somebody who is equal to what you’ll see at the conference meet. It’s a good tune-up.”
The Minutemen added a pair of runners to their IC4A qualifiers. Aaron Araujo (48.89), and Thomas Mullen (1:53.14) earned career-best marks in the 400-meter dash, and the 800-meter run, respectively. For the sophomores, it will be each of their first times competing at the IC4A indoor meet, outside of a relay.
“Aaron and Tom have both showed signs that they could get up to that level during the season,” said O’Brien. “This was a good meet for them to [qualify for the IC4A] before they got too close to the meet. It’s always good to do that early.”
For Lowell native, Michael Giardina, the pattern of doubling up during meets has continued. O’Brien likes the flexibility he has with Giardina going forward.
“I like to double Michael because I’m not sure where I’m going to use him,” said O’Brien. “He can compete in at least two or three races. I want to get him ready for that as a freshman. He was able to do that in high school, but now he’s got to do it at a higher level.”
In the hurdles and long jump, O’Brien was pleased that senior Zachary Koncki, and Stephen Bigelow got one more race in before the championship. O’Brien labeled the meet as “identical” to what they will face going forward.
“Both of the events that Zach competed in will be identical to what the conference looks like,” said O’Brien. “He’s one of the three or four guys that could win, but when you are one of those three or four guys that means you could also finish third or fourth. The hurdles were the same way. There’s probably six to eight who could be in the top-four. They could win, or finish fourth if they sneeze wrong going over a hurdle.”
The Minutewomen, at the same meet, produced eight New England championship qualifiers of their own. Karen Roa, who produced a 9:40.33 personal best in the 3000, also qualified herself for the ECAC meet. Roa’s mark put her just five seconds off the UMass record.
Sophomore Sarah Bitterman qualified for the NEC meet with a season-best time of 1:16.21, good enough for seventh-place at the meet. However, she missed joining Roa as an ECAC qualifier by .17 seconds.
A career-best for Deanna Julian (2:57.69) in the 1000-meter run earned her qualification for the NEC, while freshman Katie Powers (3:01.38) improved by one second in the event from the Torpey Invite to join her teammate in qualifying.
Rebecca Stoyle qualified for the NEC in two events. First, a sixth-place jump of 37-04.00 in the triple jump qualified her for the meet, then a 25.77 career-best mark in the 200 meter dash that will also allow her to compete in the NEC. Jaclyn Lam finished just behind Stoyle in the triple jump, but was still qualified for the NEC at 37-03.75.
Throwers Nalis Mbianda, and Rachelle Borque were the final qualifiers for UMass in the shot put. Mbianda’s third-place throw of 43-05.00 exceeded the standard, while Rachelle Borque was able to throw a 41-04.25 to qualify.
Both teams now prepare for the Atlantic 10 Championship meet, in North Kingston, R.I., this upcoming weekend.
Jeffrey Okerman can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @MDC_Okerman.
