University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies in Lead After Day One at New England’s
2/1/2019 11:01:00 PM | Men's Track and Field
BOSTON, Mass. – UConn senior Ian Bergere (Madison, Conn.) took home the New England title in the pole vault to help the Huskies to the team lead after day one of the 2019 New England Indoor Championship at the Reggie Lewis Center on Friday.
The Huskies piled up 44 points to put themselves into the drivers seat heading into the final day of competition on Saturday. "We did a good job and are in good shape heading into tomorrow," stated head coach Greg Roy. "We have to show up and compete tomorrow. We set it up for ourselves today, now we have execute and the kids need to go out and get it done."
Bergere led the Huskies in the field events with his win in the pole vault. He cleared the height of 4.90 meters (16'00.75") for his first-ever New England title. Sophomore Devin McShane (Madison, Conn.) also scored for UConn in the event, taking fifth with a height of 4.80 meters (15'9"), a new personal-best height.
Junior Cameron Thompson (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) was a fifth place finisher in the weight throw with a heave of 17.68 meters (58'00.25").
On the track, the Huskies picked-up 18 points in the 5,000 meters led by sophomore Will Brissman (Fairfield, Conn.) who finished second with a time of 14:44.98. He was followed by senior Aidan Fiol (Fairfield, Conn.) in third at 14:46.54 and freshman Sean Parker (Bridgewater, Conn.) in fifth at 14:49.82.
The UConn distance medley relay team of freshmen Joseph Pearl (Manchester, Conn.), Adam Khriss (Seacucus, N.J.), sophomore Joshua Bedard (Tolland, Conn.) and senior Michael McGonnigle (New Fairfield, Conn.) picked-up points with a second place finish posting a time of 9:54.42, the fastest time posted this season by the Huskies.
In the heptathlon, UConn sophomore Ben Grosse (Wayzata, Minn.) will head into the final three events on Saturday with the lead after piling up 2,867 points on Friday. Grosse won the long jump with a leap of 6.75 meters (22'1.75") and the high jump with a jump of 1.98 meters (6'6.00").
A pair of senior Huskies had the two fastest qualifying times to move on to the finals in the 1,000 meters. Senior PJ Garmon (Billerica, Mass.) was at the top with a time of 2:27.74 followed by classmate Kyle Barber (Fayetteville, N.Y.) on his heels at 2:29.11. Sophomore Brian Camillieri (Pearl River, N.Y.) qualified for the 800-meter final running the fastest time of the day and his fastest of the year and career at 1:53.24.
In the 400 meters, freshman Noah Woodman (Hampstead, N.H.) and senior Kyle Trocki (Shrewsbury, Mass.) will move on to the finals on Saturday thanks. Trocki posted his fastest time of the season at 48.91 seconds. Four Huskies advanced to the finals in the 500 meters led by freshman Wellington Ventura (Cresskill, N.J.) who had the fastest time of the day at 1:03.36. He will be joined by sophomores Tyler Gleen (Shelton, Conn.), Colt Nichols (Portsmouth, R.I.) and Omar Gebril (North Haven, Conn.)
Two rookies qualified for the 60 meter dash semifinal in Myles Calhoun (Henrietta, N.Y.) and Josiah Thompson (Jamaica, N.Y.), clocking in a7.01 and 7.02 seconds, respectively. In the 60 meter hurdles, r-freshman Oluwatomide Alao (Jamaica, N.Y.) got to the semifinals thanks to a 8.22 second clocking. He will be joined by classmate Xavier Smith (West Windsor, N.J.) and Konstantin Rust in the semis.
The 2019 New England Indoor Championship will wrap up on Saturday from the Reggie Lewis Center.
