Huskies Build Lead on Day One of BIG EAST Championship

Friday, May 14

Geneva, Ohio

11:00 AM

University of Connecticut

Big East Outdoor Track & Field Championship

Photo by: Stephen Slade

5/14/2021 8:48:00 PM | Men's Track and Field

Results - Day One

RESULTS (Day One)

GENEVA, Ohio – The UConn men's track & field team sits at the top of the team leader board after the first day of competition on Friday at the 2021 BIG EAST Outdoor Championship at Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

After seven scored events, the Huskies have piled up 115 points and lead over Butler in second place with 43 points, defending champion Villanova in third with 40 points. Marquette (32 pts), Georgetown (29 pts), DePaul (7 pts) and Providence (6 pts) round out the team scoring after day one.

Five field events were contested on Friday and five Huskies stood at the top of the podium winning BIG EAST individual titles at the end of the day. Senior Daniel Claxton (Nesconset, N.Y.) took home gold in the high jump while junior Chris Keegan (West Hartford, Conn.) won the hammer and classmate Michael Jeffers (Clifton Park, N.Y.) was the gold winner in the javelin.

Sophomore Travis Snyder (Saco, Maine) took home the title in the pole vault and freshman Richmond Kwaateng (Lowell, Mass.) was the gold medal winner in the long jump at his first conference title meet.

"We are in good shape here after day one," commented Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Greg Roy. "We did a fantastic job, the team competed so well and we really feel good about things heading into tomorrow."

"Travis Snyder was typical Travis Snyder today," said Roy. "Just a huge throw for Michael Jeffers there and big job by the team in really dominating the javelin."

"Chris Keegan in the hammer is just a great, great story," stated Roy. "A transfer, fighting for a spot on the roster and here he is today a conference champion. Danny Claxton did a great job and has just been so consistent all year long. And finally, Richmond, the freshman with big win, by a centimeter over Safir. Just a great day on the men's side."

FRIDAY FINALS…

Keegan became the Huskies first individual champion of the weekend, winning the hammer throw with a heave of 56.88 meters. Keegan led three Huskies in the top-8 and was followed by senior Cameron Thompson (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) in fourth place at 55.76 meters and junior Kevin Cetin (Massapequa, N.Y.) in fifth at 54.60 meters.
UConn claimed five of the eight scoring spots in the javelin led by Jeffers who won the title with a new PR of 68.04 meters, nearly two meters better than his previous top throw.
Sophomore Tanner Jameson (Durham, Conn.) was second and set a new PR as well with a throw of 63.74 meters. Junior Colin Winkler (Barkhamsted, Conn.) took fourth (61.95m), sophomore Joseph Venables (Durham, Conn.) was sixth (60.22m/PR) and freshman Gabriel Fountain (Manchester, Conn.) was seventh (59.64m/PR).
Snyder led the Husky contingent in the pole vault, claiming the title with a height of 5.05 meters. Senior Marc DeLuca (Stamford, Conn.) was second at a height of 4.95 meters while classmate Devon McShane (Madison, Conn.) was third, also clearing 4.95 meters but on his second attempt. Junior Tyler Hrbek (Northvale, N.J.) came in fifth with a height of 4.75 meters.
Claxton became a conference champion for the second time in his career, winning the high jump and just missing out on a new PR by clearing the bar at 2.15 meters. Freshman Dante Bailey (Monmouth Junction, N.J.) scored for the Huskies with a sixth-place finish at 1.90 meters.
In his first career conference championship, Kwaateng became a BIG EAST Champion by in the long jump. Kwaateng matched his best jump of the year to win at 7.35 meters. Right on his heels was senior Safir Scott (Greenwich, Conn.) who was second at 7.34 meters.
UConn picked-up points in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a pair in the top-eight. Sophomore Kevin Cawley (Massapequa, N.Y.) took fourth place with a time of 9:05.07. Sophomore Chris Lepore (Trumbull, N.Y.) was eighth in 9:11.15, a new PR by 16 seconds.
In the 10,000 meters, junior James Maniscalco (Fairfield, Conn.) scored for the Huskies with a sixth-place finish with a big PR of 30:18.58, besting he previous best time by nearly one minute.

FRIDAY PRELIMS…

Three Huskies will run in the 400-meter finals on Saturday led by Scott who posted the fastest prelim time of the day at 47.40 seconds. Joining him tomorrow will be freshman Caleb Owen (New Haven, Conn.) and Markus Bagley (Jersey City, N.J.).
Sophomore Joseph O'Brien (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and junior Josiah Thompson (Jamaica, N.Y.) will run in the 100-meter dash final. O'Brien had the fastest time on Friday, posting a new PR at 10.44 seconds.
O'Brien will also run in the 200-meter final and will be joined by junior teammate Aaron Hackett (Upper Marlboro, Md.). O'Brien had another PR with a time of 21.14 seconds and Hackett PR'ed as well with a time of 21.36 seconds.
In the 800-meter final, UConn sophomore Stephen Sutton (Tolland, Conn.) and freshman Mahamed Sharif (Westbrook, Maine) advanced to the finals.
The 400-meter hurdle finals will feature junior Wellington Ventura (Cresskill, N.J.) who posted the fastest prelim time at 53.19 seconds. Senior Colt Nichols (Portsmouth, R.I. will also be in Saturday's final.
After five events, three Huskies are at the top of the decathlon standings led by senior Jordan Torney (Toms River, N.J.). Torney won the 100-meter dash in 10.88 seconds, the long jump with a leap of 7.36 meters, a new PR, and the 400 meters in 49.60 seconds. He has 3,959 points after day one.
Classmate Benjamin Grosse (Wayzata, Minn.) is second with 3,756 total points. Grosse was the winner in the high jump at 1.97 meters and the shot put with a toss of 13.20 meters. Junior Nicholas Pronovost (Coventry, Conn.) sits third with a total of 3,709 points. Pronovost was second in the long jump at 6.94 meters, a new PR, the high jump with a height of 1.91 meters and the shot put at 12.61 meters.