University of Connecticut Athletics
Men's Track Wins BIG EAST Indoor Track Championship
2/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
AKRON, Ohio (February 19, 2006) - For the third time in five years, the University of Connecticut men's track team claimed victory at the BIG EAST Indoor Track Championship with a first place finish. The team compiled a total of 135 points and was led by senior Joel Legare (Holden, Mass.). Legare competed in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:25.74 and took home a BIG EAST individual title for the first time in his career.
Freshman Ellis Gaulden (Tallahasse, Fla.) also captured an individual title at the meet. Gaulden was the high jump champion with a jump of 2.12m, the first BIG EAST individual title of his career.
The UConn coaching staff was also honored at the Championships with the Coaching Staff of the Year award. Today's victory was the fifth BIG EAST Indoor Championship for head coach Greg Roy. He and his staff were also recipients of this award at the 1995-96 Championships.
In the Championships, several Huskies finished within the top-10 in their individual events. On the track, junior Basil Campbell (Ewing, N.J.) placed second in the 200 with a time of 21.44 after finishing first in the preliminaries. In the 60m, junior Kelechi Ndu (Ashford, Conn.) crossed the line at 6.86, good enough for third place. Junior Edwin Campbell (Silver Springs, Md.) was the lone Husky to compete in the 400 meter dash where he scored a sixth place finish (48.40). In the 500, Legare placed third with a time of 1:02.42 and fellow senior Logan Jones (Dorchester, Mass.) finished 1:02.88. After finishing in sixth place in the preliminaries, freshman Brian Gagnon (Lowell, Mass.) improved to a fifth place finish in the 800 with a time of 1:51.32. In the 60 hurdles, Campbell finished in 8.04, good enough for second place.
In the distance events, Legare won the 1,000 and fellow teammate, sophomore Steven Iannaccone (Toms River, N.J.) secured fourth place with a time of 2:26.94.
UConn's 4x400 relay team took home third place in the championships with a time of 3:13.03. Racing in the event were junior Edwin Campbell (Silver Springs, Md.) sophomore Johanssy Joseph (Chesnut Ridge, N.Y.) Basil Campbell and Jones. In the 4x800, Michael DuPaul (East Haven, Conn.) Iannaccone, Gagnon and Legare raced to a fourth place finish (7:34.03).
In the field events, Marquis Thomas (Mattapan, Mass.) placed sixth in the high jump (2.02m). In the pole vault, two Huskies finished in the top-3. Jake Radzevich (Hampstead, N.H.) placed second with a height of 5.10m (16-08.75) and Jonas Tepaske (Freehold, N.J.) finished third (4.80m, 15-09). In the triple jump, Mark Godoy (Amityville, N.Y.) secured fifth place with a distance of 4.25m.
In the day's throwing events, Andrew Dubs (Holland, Pa.) took seventh in the shot put and Aaron Issacs (Danbury, Conn.) took home second place in the weight throw with a throw of 18.81m.
Four members of Connecticut competed in the heptathlon, with Sean Berg (Mystic, Conn.) placing second with 5,227.00 points. Joseph Staub (Stoneham, Mass.) finished fifth (4,754.00), Erik Thunberg (Groton, Mass.) placed seventh (4,613.00) and Sean Smith (Scotch Plains, N.J.) finished in eighth (4,612.00).
The team will next compete in the New England Championships on Feb. 24 and 25 in Boston, Mass.
