Monmouth Men & Women Selected as 2019 Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Favorites
EDISON, NJ – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced Friday that the Monmouth University Men & Women are the 2019 MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Favorite as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
For the men, Monmouth had 63 points in the poll with seven first-place votes. The Hawks recently won their fifth MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships since they entered the league six years ago. In the men’s outdoor championships, Monmouth remains undefeated, having won all five championships it has participated in. Senior Darius Howe was named Most Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet at this year’s MAAC Indoor Championships after winning the men’s triple jump, and freshman Louis DiLaurenzio won Track Rookie of the Meet honors after winning the men’s 800M. The Hawks are led by head coach Joe Compagni, who was voted Men’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year at this year’s championships.
In second place, Rider University was awarded 56 points with one first-place vote. The Rider men took home seven medals at this year’s MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, including four first-place finishes. Freshman Ayo Oyewole earned the Men’s Field Rookie of the Meet award, winning silver in the Men’s Long Jump. The Broncs look to win their first MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships since 2013.
Iona College placed third in the poll with 46 points, followed closely by Manhattan College with 43. Siena College finished the poll in fifth with 31 points, while Marist College was sixth with 24. Canisius College and Saint Peter’s University round out the poll with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
On the women’s side, Monmouth finished in first place with 99 points and nine first-place votes. The women are the defending MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Champions after winning the 2018 championships. The Hawks have won every Indoor and Outdoor Championship since entering the MAAC in the fall of 2013. Senior Allie Wilson holds the second-fastest time in the NCAA for the women’s Indoor 800M with a time of 2:02.65. Monmouth has four returning major award winners from the 2018 MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships: Allie Wilson (Track Performer of the Meet), Allison Taub (Field Performer of the Meet), Kyra Velock (Track Rookie of the Meet), and Danielle Steff (Field Rookie of the Meet).
Rider finished second in the poll for the women with 91 points and one first-place vote. Graduate-Student Sara Gardner set the MAAC women’s 100M hurdles record at the 2018 Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a time of 13.41. Fellow Broncs Ashley Berry (Discus), and Asia Young (Long Jump), also took home gold in their respective events. Along with the Rider men, the women look to regain the top spot at the MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the first time since 2013.
Following Rider, Manhattan placed third in the poll with 76 points, tailed closely by Quinnipiac University with 74. Iona was voted fifth with 58, followed by Marist who was awarded 48 points. Siena was seventh with 40 points and Canisius in eighth with 25 points. Saint Peter’s finished in ninth place with 22, and the poll concluded with Niagara University in tenth with 17 points.
|
Men’s Track & Field Preseason Poll |
|
| Rank |
School |
Total Points |
| 1. |
Monmouth (7) |
63 |
| 2. |
Rider (1) |
56 |
| 3. |
Iona |
46 |
| 4. |
Manhattan |
43 |
| 5. |
Siena |
31 |
| 6. |
Marist |
24 |
| 7. |
Canisius |
13 |
| 8. |
Saint Peter’s |
12 |
|
Women’s Track & Field Preseason Poll |
|
| Rank |
School |
Total Points |
| 1 |
Monmouth (9) |
99 |
| 2 |
Rider (1) |
91 |
| 3 |
Manhattan |
76 |
| 4 |
Quinnipiac |
74 |
| 5 |
Iona |
58 |
| 6 |
Marist |
48 |
| 7 |
Siena |
40 |
| 8 |
Canisius |
25 |
| 9 |
Saint Peter’s |
22 |
| 10 |
Niagara |
17 |
The 2019 MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at Monmouth University’s Kessler Stadium in West Long Branch, New Jersey from May 4-5. For more information, please visit
maacsports.com/outdoortrack.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 38th year of competition during the 2018-19 academic year. Current Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena College.