May 6, 2007     
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Track & Field
Rider Women MAAC Champions
Bronc Men Finish Runner-up
Fenlator, Payne Most Outstanding Performers

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University women’s track & field team won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Sunday and the Rider men placed second to perennial champion Manhattan. “I have mixed emotions,” said Rider head coach Rob Pasquariello. “On the women’s side our kids stepped up. They went out and took it. On the men’s side, Manhattan really took it to us, so give them credit, they are a great team.”

Senior Jazmine Fenlator (Wayne/Wayne Valley) won the discus in a MAAC meet record distance of 48.62m, and won the shot put (13.28m). On Saturday Fenlator won the hammer, and was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Performer. “I think that gives Jaz 10 individual MAAC championships,” Pasquariello said. “She led us.”

“Things went really well today,” said Fenlator.  “Yesterday we had a few problems. We scored the points we needed but we had some mental mistakes. The upperclassman spoke to the team last night and we cleared our heads. Today was a new day, and a very good day. We did what we needed to do.”

“Yesterday, that wasn’t my team,” Pasquariello said. “I didn’t recognize some of the things that they did. They came out today and performed like Rider. This was the team today we had all year.”

With the Outdoor Championship, Rider sweeps the women’s MAAC Titles, having won the MAAC Indoor Championships this past winter. “Winning indoors was an awesome experience, and I was part of the last Outdoor Championship my freshman year, so ending on this note is really a privilege and an honor,” Fenlator said. “I’m so happy to be a part of Rider’s track & field team.”

Senior David Payne (Neptune) won the 100 meter dash in a MAAC Championship meet record time of 10.46, won the 200 meter dash in a MAAC meet record time of 21.10, ran on the winning 4 x 100 relay with freshman Paul Racioppi (Old Bridge), sophomore Desmond Hamilton (Pennsauken, N.J./Pennsauken) and sophomore AJ Parillo (South River) and was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Performer. Payne also qualified for the NCAA Regional, held at the University of Florida, in both events.

“David has been so good for four years, and for him to get the Regional qualifiers in both events is a real credit to his work ethic,” Pasquariello said. “There isn’t a more deserving kid.”

“I’m pleased, very happy,” Payne said.  “I’ve been trying to qualify for Regionals for three years, so to qualify for both events today, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I knew this was my last conference championship, and my last chance to qualify for Regionals, and I finally made it.”

Sophomore Kelly Kajunski (Glenmore, Pa./Downington East) won the women’s high jump with a MAAC Championship record of 1.75m.

Sophomore Tricia Crotty (Lewistown, PA/Indian Valley) placed second in the 200m (26.53) and third in the 100m (12.71), and ran on the third place 4 x 100 relay with sophomore Tabatha Haskins (Medford/Shawnee), junior Jarnae Carter (Columbia, MD/Long Reach) and freshman Karlise Cureton (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Twp.). Crotty is the star of the Rider field hockey team and began running track for Rider this year.  “She’s one of the best athletes on campus, and she proved that today,” Pasquariello said.  “She will do anything.”

Freshman Kevin Breen (Langhorne, PA/Archbishop Ryan) won the pole vault (4.32m), and his brother, sophomore Phillip Breen (Langhorne, PA/Archbishop Ryan) placed second (4.01m).

Senior Allyson Angelo (Brick/Red Bank Catholic) placed second in the pole vault (3.18m). “I challenged the seniors last night to get all the women together and bring them together as a team and Allyson and Jazmine did a fantastic job of that,” Pasquariello said.

Freshman Alicia Price (Voorhees/Eastern) was second in the shot put (12.01m), and Tabatha Haskins placed second in the 100m hurdles (14.89) and third in the triple jump (11.10m).

Senior Doug Beck (Branchburg/Somerville) placed second in the discus (47.86m) and third in the shot put (14.91m), and junior Randy Nixon (Manorville, NY/West Hampton) placed second in the 110m hurdles (16.20).

Several Broncs will now compete at the Eastern Championships May 11-13 at Princeton, the men at the ICAAAA and the women at the ECAC. “I’m still enjoying today,” Fenlator said. “I’m still soaking this up, the team effort it took to win this. Tomorrow I start working on more of an individual nature, on ECACs and Regionals, and hopefully represent Rider at the NCAAs.”

-RU-