Jeremy Mbogo = USA citizen

 

Congrats to Jeremy Mbogo (along with his mom and his brother) for being sworn in as United States citizens, last Wednesday morning up in Albany. Jeremy is a native of Kenya who moved to Poughkeepsie as a teenager. After graduating from Poughkeepsie High School, he attended SUNY New Paltz for one year (the Covid year, 2020-2021) and then transferred to Marist. He is set to graduate in May, and will return for as a graduate student on the team next academic year (2024-2025). We look forward to his continued success in running. And, we were honored to be invited to this swearing in ceremony, along with our mutual friend Neil Grencer. Highly neat.

.

Monmouth meet: Men's results

 Some solid efforts here in the constantly gusting winds of Monmouth County. Matt Ferreri and Steven Viera ran personal-best times in the 1,500. Next up = Colonial Relays. Happy Easter.

Monmouth University Spring Opener
Joe Compagni Track at Kessler Stadium
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, NJ
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Men’s results
400-meter run
21-Johnny Zelker (unattached) 53.47
800-meter run
8-Marcel Stewart 2:01.22
10-Francisco Mendonca 2:02.37
1,500-meter run
11-Matthew Ferreri 4:04.94
12-Steven Viera 4:05.29
52-Dylan Perkinson 4:32.37
5,000-meter run
20-Seamus Reidy 17:25.49
400-meter hurdles
11-Kevin Lee 1:00.19
14-Christopher Lynch 1:05.82
1,600-meter relay
10-Marist (Marcel Stewart 54.43, Christopher Lynch 53.62, Matthew Ferreri 54.47, Steven Viera 55.35) 3:38.30
Long jump
19-Johnny Zelker (unattached) 6.02 meters (19 feet, 9 inches)
Triple jump
12-Kevin Lee 12.78 meters (41 feet, 11.5 inches)
Javelin
16-Liam Haggerty 39.25 meters (128 feet, 9 inches)

Monmouth meet: Women's results

 Small group, (very) windy day. Happy Easter everyone!

Monmouth University Spring Opener
Joe Compagni Track at Kessler Stadium
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, NJ
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Women’s results
100-meter dash
33-Alyssa DaPont 13.53
200-meter dash
42-Alyssa DaPont 27.83
52-Nina Florio 28.93
58-Talia Augusto 31.76
400-meter dash
22-Nina Florio 1:05.55
36-Mackenzie Schubert 1:08.03
42-Talia Augusto 1:17.99
800-meter run
12-Caroline Bell 2:33.78
400-meter hurdles
16-Kate Beebe 1:14.33
High jump
12-Grace O’Neill 1.50 meters (4 feet, 11 inches)
Javelin
12-Grace Murphy 27.10 meters (88 feet, 11 inches)

Monmouth meet: Schedule and entries

 (we have a) small contingent of athletes traveling and competing on Easter weekend to Monmouth, where it most assuredly will be windy!

Monmouth University Season Opener
West Long Branch, NJ
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Running Events
10:00am - Senior Recognition Ceremony
10:45am - National Anthem
11:00am - Women’s Steeple - 1 Heat
11:20am - Men’s Steeple – 1 Heat
11:40am - Women’s 1500m – 4 Heats
12:05pm - Men’s 1500m – 5 Heats – Steven Viera, Matthew Ferreri, Dylan Perkinson
12:35pm - Women’s 4x100m –2 Heats
12:40pm - Men’s 4x100m –2 Heats
12:55pm - Women’s 100mH – 3 Heats – Madison LaCreta
1:10pm - Men’s 110mH – 3 Heats
1:25pm - Women’s 100m – 8 Heats – Alyssa Dapont
1:40pm - Men’s 100m – 8 Heats
1:55pm - Women’s 400m – 8 Heats – Grace LaCapra, Talia Augusto, Nina Florio, Mackenzie Schubert
2:15pm - Men’s 400m – 6 Heats – Johnny Zelker (unattached)
2:35pm - Women’s 800m –3 Heats – Caroline Bell
2:45pm - Men’s 800m – 3 Heats – Marcel Stewart, Francisco Mendonca, Neel Viswanathan
3:00pm - Women’s 400mH – 3 Heats – Kate Beebe
3:10pm - Men’s 400mH – 3 Heats – Kevin Lee, Christopher Lynch
3:25pm - Women’s 200m – 12 Heats – Alyssa Dapont, Madison LaCreta, Nina Florio, Talia Augusto
3:50pm - Men’s 200m – 10 Heats
4:10pm - Women’s 5000m – 1 Heat
4:35pm - Men’s 5000m – 1 Heat – Seamus Reidy
4:55pm- Women’s 4x400m – 3 Heats – Marist team
5:10pm- Men’s 4x400m – 3 Heats – Marist team
5:25pm - Conclusion of meet
Field events
11am, High jump – Grace O’Neill
Following women, Pole vault – Noah Brown
Following women, Long jump – Johnny Zelker
Following LJ, Triple jump – Kevin Lee
11am, Javelin – Grace Murphy, Liam Haggerty, Derek Paolella

Fred Hardy Invitational (Richmond): Women's results

 Solid/decent start for a small group of women who made the trip down here. We haven't been here in more than a decade. It was nice to be back and we'll do our best to come back down here more frequently. Neat.

Fred Hardy Invitational
Richmond University
Robins Stadium/Fred Hardy Track
Friday, March 22, 2024
Women’s results
100-meter dash
31-Alyssa Dapont 13.91
200-meter dash
55-Alyssa Dapont 28.11
400-meter dash
35-Grace LaCapra 1:07.85
800-meter run
17-Sierra Fisher 2:18.69 - personal-best time
21-Kayla Hawkins 2:19.49
41-Mackenzie Schubert 2:32.30
1,500-meter run
10-Parker O’Brien 4:39.20 - personal-best time
19-Adele Alexander 4:47.94
41-Emily Litke 5:10.30
43-Kaitlyn Hastings 5:12.02
5,000-meter run
7-Samantha Kehler 18:02.46
17-Kyra Pellegrino 18:51.17
5,000-meter run (unseeded)
5-Kaitlyn Murtagh 19:18.43
1,600-meter relay
10-Marist (Kayla Hawkins 1:01.63, Adele Alexander 1:04.52, Sierra Fisher 1:02.867, Parker O’Brien 1:02.612) 4:11.83
Javelin
5-Grace Murphy 29.31 meters (96 feet, 2 inches)

Fred Hardy Invitational (Richmond): Men's results

 Small group of men with some positive results to start outdoor season. Weather was decent -- cool for southern standards but good enough for us for March 22. We'll take it!

Fred Hardy Invitational
Richmond University
Robins Stadium/Fred Hardy Track
Friday, March 22, 2024
Men’s results
800-meter run
26-Marcel Stewart 2:02.45
32-Neel Viswanathan 2:04.27
5,000-meter run, unseeded
3-Steven Viera 15:27.14 - personal-best time
7-John Ignacz 15:36.40
9-Ryan Wisker 15:39.17
11-Alexander Pattison 15:43.18 - personal-best time
12-Pierce Francis 15:43.90 - personal-best time
14-Jack Dovaras 15:46.08
5,000-meter run, seeded
15-Dennis Love 15:38.42 - personal-best time

Day of Giving = A HUGE SUCCESS! (thank you)

The numbers were staggering – in a good way. No, in a GREAT way! Humbling, gratifying, exceeding expectations. (In case you can’t tell? I’m pretty excited!)
 
I’m talking, of course, about yesterday’s Day of Giving. And boy, did Running Red Fox Nation give! Our athletic director, Tim Murray, has spoken about creating a “culture of giving” and based on this Day of Giving campaign, I think we’ve done just that in the realm of Marist College track and cross country.
 
OK. Here are the numbers. They are HIGHLY NEAT.
 
Number of donors: 224
Number of dollars donated: $47,188
 
At the beginning of the initiative, our aspirational goal was to get to 100 donors and roughly $10,000. We exceeded the $10,000 goal BEFORE the Day of Giving (Month of Giving?). We eclipsed 100 donors early on the Day of Giving. In an alumni group text, we kept goading it higher: 125, 150 … I joked in the morning that if we got to 200 donors, I’d be so thrilled that I’d retire! Ooops. We got there before my bedtime (which, as many of you know, is quite early and well before the clock struck midnight on the Day of Giving).
 
Donations kept streaming in right up until midnight. And not nickle-and-dime donations. Real, substantial sums of money. The “brick” incentive -- $500 and/or $1,000 for an honorary brick or part of retaining wall at the new track facility – was certainly an effective carrot. Many, many of you opted for a “brick level” donation. For that, we are extremely appreciative!
 
Now that we have established an outstanding “culture of giving,” it’s time to keep that momentum going for the new Track and Turf facility at North Field. No, no, don’t worry, I’m not gonna “hit you up” for another donation right now. But, there is (and will be) more work to do in that area. Not today, though. Not now.
 
The theme for today (and, really, every day) is gratitude – for the loyal support of so many members of our track and cross country family. Truly neat.
 
And yes. Several of you have asked! Will there be a “grand opening” for the new track? While my input in these matters will probably be somewhat limited, my “vision” for that grand opening would be to get hundreds of past and present Marist Track folks convened for a grand opening “Victory Lap” on the new track. Hopefully, that will happen at some point in 2025. Whenever it happens, it will have been a lifetime in the making.

Fred Hardy Invitational (Richmond): Time schedule/entries

We are on a bus en route to Richmond, as our 2024 (outdoor) track season begins! We will spending a LOT of time on buses over the next 6-7 weeks. Two weeks from now, we'll be headed to Colonial Relays, which is even further south than Richmond! Below are our entries as well as the time schedule for tomorrow's meet. Neat. 

Fred Hardy Invitational
Richmond University
Friday, March 22, 2024
Track Events
10:00a 3000M Steeplechase Women 
10:15a 3000M Steeplechase Men – Mason Mayer
10:30a 5000 Meters Women (Unseeded) - Kate Murtagh
10:55a 5000 Meters Men (Unseeded) – John Ignacz, Steven Viera, Ryan Wisker, Pierce Francis, Jack Dovaras, Xander Pattison
11:20a 4X100 Relay Women 
11:25a 4X100 Relay Men 
11:30a 1500 Meters Women – Parker O’Brien, Adele Alexander, Kaitlyn Hastings, Emily Litke
12:05p 1500 Meters Men – Ian Wiesinger
12:40p 100 Hurdles Final Women 
12:50p 110 Hurdles Final Men 
1:00p 400 Meters Women – Grace LaCapra
1:15p 400 Meters Men 
1:30p 100 Meters Final Women – Alyssa Dapont
1:45p 100 Meters Final Men 
2:05p 800 Meters Women – Kayla Hawkins, Sierra Fisher, Mackenzie Schubert
2:30p 800 Meters Men – Marcel Stewart, Neel Viswanathan
2:50p 400 Hurdles Women
3:00p 400 Hurdles Men 
3:15p 200 Meters Women – Alyssa Dapont
3:50p 200 Meters Men 
4:10p 5000 Meters Women (Seeded) - Kyra Pellegrino, Sami Kehler
4:30p 5000 Meters Men (Seeded) – Dennis Love
4:50p 4X400 Relay Women – Marist team
5:05p 4X400 Relay Men – Marist team
Field events
12 noon Javelin – Grace Murphy
12:30p High jump – Grace O’Neill 

Day of Giving = Wednesday

 Here is the letter I have emailed (or texted) to many alums. Please consider a donation -- on or before our Day of Giving, which is on Wednesday! Thank you for your consideration.

This is Pete Colaizzo, and I’m proud to say that I’ve been track/cross country coach at Marist College for the past 33 years. I’m also extremely grateful to count you as among our hundreds of loyal alums who I had the honor of coaching during the past three-plus decades. 
 
As I’m certain most of you are aware, back in December 2023, Marist announced plans for a new track facility – on campus, at North Field. That’s right: A home of our own, on campus! How exciting is THAT!
 
To that end, Marist is currently engaging in an aggressive fundraising drive in an effort to make this long-time dream a reality – as soon as the spring of 2025! And we need YOUR help.
 
In coordination with Marist’s first-ever Day of Giving – which is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20 – we’re asking for you to make a donation, which will go directly toward the current Running Red Foxes and the exciting future of track and field at Marist College. Our goal is to get as much “fundraising engagement” from our Running Red Foxes Family – the more donors, the bigger the message we send that we are fired up about this project.
 
Here's the thing: You don’t have to wait till March 20 to donate! The link is live and you can donate right here, right now. Details are at the end of this email.
 
If you are interested in making a bigger donation -- $500 or more – please contact me directly (cell at 845 309 3640 or email at Peter.Colaizzo@marist.edu) as there are some special sponsorship “naming” opportunities associated with such large donations. I will connect you with our friends in the Advancement Office to make that happen.
 
Specifically, a $500 donation will get you a “personalized brick” and a $1,000 donation will get you a “personalized stone” as part of a retaining wall at the new track facility. There are other opportunities for much higher-priced donations – again, I’ll refer you Advancement for those!
 
In the meantime, we hope to see you during the spring 2024 outdoor track season, the fall 2024 cross country season – and, with any luck, on our new track for a “victory lap” sometime in 2025!
 
How to donate: Click on the link below, under “Designation” there is a pull-down menu, select “Track and Turf Field Project” and make your donation! Thanks again!

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/42598/donations/new?pre_launch_page_id=2042

Outdoor track begins

 Last week was Spring Break and we were treated to some great weather! Now that our regular practices are resuming? The weather has reverted to standard-issue "Poughkeepsie in March" -- cold and windy! Our first meet is this Friday (yes, an earlier-than-normal start!) at the University of Richmond (we haven't been there in years!) for the Fred Hardy Invitational. More details to follow. But first! Before we get to that? Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 20) is Marist's first-ever "Day of Giving" and we are making a BIG PUSH for donations toward our new track facility at North Field. I will be posting here with more details and on HOW YOU CAN DONATE to the new track. We've already gotten a decent amount of donations and we're hoping to build upon that tomorrow. Thanks in advance for your SUPPORT.

Jiggy = pull-up king

 

A little behind in posting this = two weeks ago, senior John Ignacz got his name on Suma's record board with 44 pull-ups, edging out a lax player who had the record of 43 for more than a year (got it from Pax). Jiggy feels like he's got 50 in him; I'd like to see it, so he can put that record out there before he graduates in two months. 

In other news! Outdoor track season starts in a little more than two weeks, with the Fred Hardy Invitational at the University of Richmond on Friday, March 22. A full schedule (post) will follow. After Friday, we are on Spring Break. When we come back, it's a 7-week sprint to the finish of outdoor track and the 2023-2024 journey. 

ECAC/IC4A Championships: Day 2 results

The 2023-2024 indoor track season came to a close on Sunday at the ECAC/IC4A championships. The women’s DMR ran the third-fastest time in school history and got seventh place. Easton Eberwein grabbed the final scoring place in the 400-meter dash with another strong race (49.12). Outdoor track follows closely on the heels of indoor track – our first (outdoor) meet is in less than three weeks! OK.

 

ECAC Championships

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Boston University

Day 2 results

3,200-meter relay

6-Marist (Julia Kropo 2:21.22, Jackie Caron 2:27.37, Raven Stanet 2:27.71, Grace Fletcher 2:29.88) 9:46.18

Distance medley relay

7-Marist (Sierra Fisher 3:41.23, Breelyn McNamara 1:00.50, Kayla Hawkins 2:17.44, Parker O’Brien 4:59.96) 11:59.13

Triple jump

20-Kiana Pathirana 10.38 meters (34 feet, 0.75 inches)

Team standings: 26 of 35, 8.5 points

 

IC4A Championships

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Boston University

Day 2 results

400-meter dash, final

8. Easton Eberwein 49.12 *IC4A All-East

3,200-meter relay

9-Marist (Tyler Perry 1:57.14, Joe Logan 1:59.44, Jacob Anderson 2:00.22, Dennis Love 2:00.53) 7:57.33

Distance medley relay

10-Marist (Raffi Buchakjian 3:08.15, Easton Eberwein 49.93, Matthew Ferreri 1:59.46, Christopher Paxis 4:10.24) 10:07.78

Team standings: 34 of 34, 1 point

ECAC/IC4A: Day 1 results (school record for Easton!)

 

Solid first day for the men and women, with the following highlights:
 
--Easton Eberwein broke the (indoor) 400-meter school record, a robust mark that has been on the books for 17 years, and he qualified for Sunday’s final in the event. Neat!
--Grace O’Neill cleared two heights in the high jump and earned an all-ECAC medal and certificate in the process. Also neat!
--Both 1,000-meter racers (Sierra Fisher, Raffi Buchakjian) ran strong personal-best times.
 
On Sunday, we have Easton in the 400, Kiana Pathirana in the triple jump, and men’s and women’s DMR and 4x800 relays.
 
IC4A Championships
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Boston University
Day 1 results
60-meter dash
Amari Mathis preliminary 7.03, semifinal 7.06 (did not qualify for final)
400-meter dash
Easton Eberwein 49.10 *school record, old record 49.13 by Brian DeMarco in 2007, qualified for final
1,000-meter run
16. Raffi Buchakjian 2:30.46 (personal-best time)
Mile run
22. Christopher Paxis 4:14.03
5,000-meter run
22. Kieran Donnelly 15:00.93

ECAC Championships
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Boston University
Day 1 results
1,000-meter run
12. Sierra Fisher 2:56.39 (personal best)
Mile run
15. Parker O’Brien 5:01.28
High jump
5-Grace O’Neill 1.58 meters (5 feet, 2.25 inches)

Sunday schedule
11:55a, IC4A 400-meter run final: Easton Eberwein
12 noon, ECAC triple jump: Kiana Pathirana
1:35p, ECAC DMR
1:50p, IC4A DMR
2:15p, ECAC 4x800 relay
2:25p, IC4A 4x800 relay