University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Big East Indoor Track & Field Championship
UConn Dominates for BIG EAST Indoor Title
2/26/2022 9:21:00 PM | Men's Track and Field
CHICAGO, Ill. – In a total team effort from top to bottom. the UConn men's track and field program put together a dominating two-day performance on the way to capturing the 2022 BIG EAST Indoor Championship Presented by JEEP at the Gately Track & Field Park.
The Huskies piled up 227 total points over the 18 events, finishing 128 points ahead of runner-up DePaul to win the program's 10th BIG EAST Indoor Championship. Rounding out the rest of the eight-team field was Villanvoa in third (96 pts), Butler in fourth (95 pts), Georgetown was fifth (91 pts), Marquette sixth (46.5 pts), Providence seventh (29.5 pts) and Xavier eighth (6 pts).
"Our guys really took it to heart that each guy has a job and role on this team," stated Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Greg Roy. "I told them in our meeting that I see this team holding up the traditions and the standard our program has set over the years. We were just tenacious, just kept coming at them. It was really great to watch this weekend."
"Eric Van Der Els was spectacular today as was Wellington Ventura, who is right there for an NCAA spot. Both dominating performances and then coming back to anchor their relays to wins. Our field events and multi-events, so many names to mention and just a great job all around. Just up and down the roster, unbelievable performances."
UConn won the most events at the meet with 10 gold medals while capturing 19 total medals over the weekend. UConn freshman Kasey Savage (Tolland, Conn.) was announced as the High Point Performer of the Meet with 18.0 points, earning the silver in both the men's triple jump and high jump, as well as sixth in the men's long jump.
Individual gold medalists for the Huskies included Terrell Williams (60m hurdles), Wellington Ventura (400m), Eric Van Der Els (3,000m), Daniel Claxton (High Jump), Travis Snyder (Pole Vault), Richmond Kwaateng (Long Jump), Matthew Brady (Shot Put), Christopher Keegan (Weight Throw). Also, UConn earned the gold in both the 4x400 meter relay and distance medley relay.
Van Der Els set a new BIG EAST record with his win in the 3,000m by five seconds, crossing the finish line in 7:52.02 (7:57.50 David McCarthy, Providence 2012).
The UConn coaching staff was also named the unanimous BIG EAST Men's Coaching Staff of the Year.
On the track…
- Leading the UConn charge on the track on Saturday was junior Wellington Ventura (Cresskill, N.J.) who took gold in the 400 meters and did so in setting a new UConn school record as well as a facility record. Ventura bested the field in 46.26 seconds, topping his own school record mark of 46.47 set his freshman year.
- Junior Noah Woodman (Hampstead, N.H.) was the bronze medal finisher in the 400 with a time of 47.80 seconds. The duo would come back and lead the Huskies to the gold in the 4x400 meter relay. Woodman led off and was followed by Robert Doherty (West Islip, N.Y.) and Mahamed Sharif (Westbrook, Maine) with Ventura on the anchor as they posted a time of 3:13.60 to get to the top of the podium.
- Senior Eric Van Der Els (Norwalk, Conn.) won the gold in the 3,000 meters setting a new UConn school record in addition to his BIG EAST record. Van Der Els time of 7:52.02 topped the school mark of 8:03.44 held by Patrick Begley in 2018.
- The 60-meter hurdles gold medal went to UConn freshman Terrel Williams (Maplewood, N.J.) who blazed his way to the podium with a time of 7.83 seconds.
- Sophomore Stephen Sutton (Tolland, Conn.) took the bronze in the 800 meters with a time of 1:49.11.
- Scoring for the Huskies was sophomore Connor Mahoney who took sixth in the 60-meter dash (7.01) and seventh in the 200 meters (22.10). Senior Aaron Hackett (Upper Marlboro, Md.) took fourth in the 200 meters (21.75). Senior Joshua Bedard (Tolland, Conn.) was seventh in the mile (4:09.84).
In the field…
- The Huskies went gold-silver in the high jump led by senior Daniel Claxton (Nesconset, N.Y.) who took the top spot with a height of 2.15 meters. Savage was in second at a height of 1.95 meters and also scoring in the event was Dante Bailey (Monmouth Junction, N.J.) who took sixth at 1.90 meters.
- Savage would also win silver in the triple jump, posting a leap of 14.08 meters. Classmate Marc Morrison (Orlando, Fla.) scored with a fourth-place finish and a PR jump of 13.99 meters. Bailey picked up points with a seventh-place finish (12.31m).
- Senior Matthew Brady (Biddeford, Maine) took home a gold medal in the shot put, pulling off a throw of 17.13 meters on his final attempt of the day.
- UConn seniors Jordan Torney (Toms River, N.J.) and Benjamin Grosse (Wayzata, Minn.) took silver and bronze, respectively, in the heptathlon. Torney won the 60-meter hurdles on Saturday in 8.15 seconds and finished second in the pole vault (4.60m) to total up 5,481 points. Grosse finished with 5,315 total points. Junior Nicholas Pronovost (Coventry, Conn.) was fourth overall at 5,238 points.
Players Mentioned
