Fullerton Leads Stonehill at Larry Ellis Invitational


Senior All-American Patrick Fullerton posted the fifth-fastest 1500-meter time in the country this season and placed sixth out of 99 with his school-record time. (PHOTO BY Gerry Wall) 

Fullerton posts fifth-fastest 1500-meter time in Division II, shattering own program record

PRINCETON, N.J. (April 23, 2011) – The Stonehill College men's track and field team turned in several strong performances at the Larry Ellis Invitational, hosted by Princeton University, at Weaver Stadium on Friday and Saturday. The Ellis Invitational is one of the largest meets, with 35 programs represented across NCAA Divisions I, II and III.

Senior All-American Patrick Fullerton (Bradford, Mass./Haverhill) solidified his NCAA Championships provisional qualifying position as he shattered his own program record in posting a sixth place finish in the field of 99 competitors in the 1500-meter run. His time of 3:47.62 is the fifth-fastest time in all of Division II this season so far and breaks his previous school record of 3:49.07 set when qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships last spring at the New Balance High Performance Invitational, in Lowell, last May. Senior All-American Daniel Pilz (Newington, Conn./Newington) also ran the event and placed 75th in 3:59.05.

Sophomore All-American Corey Thomas (Brookline, Mass./BC High), the reigning NCAA Division II indoor champion for the high jump, placed third for that event by clearing 6-feet, 11-inches, improving his NCAA Outdoor Championships provisional qualifying standard by a quarter inch. Thomas matched the runner-up height, also cleared by Adam Bergo from Rutgers University, but needed one more jump to clear it.

Thomas placed fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.59-seconds, ranking first among non-Division I competitors. Freshman Xavier Harris-Dixon (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) was 27th (out of 41 runners) in the event with a time of 15.53-seconds.


Junior Pak Lul was 13th in the 400-meter dash with a near school-record performance.

Sophomore John Gelcius (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) placed ninth in the javelin with a distance of 178-feet, 11-inches, good for first among non-Division I throwers.

Junior Pak Lul (Portland, Maine/North Yarmouth Academy) finished 13th out of 65 runners in the 400-meter dash with his time of 49.17-seconds – just 0.07 seconds shy of the five year old school record. He was third among non-Division I runners in the event.

Other Stonehill performances of note:

Senior All-American Nathan Morse (Whitinsville, Mass./Holy Name) finished 46th (out of 93 competitors) in the 800-meter run with his time of 1:53.98 – less than a second shy of the ten year old school record. Sophomore All-American Sean Hanlon (Georgetown, Mass./St. John's Prep) was 65th in 1:54.96.

 

Junior Stephen Polito (Worcester, Mass./Doherty Memorial) placed 73rd (out of 153) in the 5000-meter run with his time of 14:47.08. Sophomore Ethan Penney (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) was 104th in 15:00.45, while senior Zachary Lankow (Saugus, Mass./St. John's Prep) was 108th in 15:03.48.

 

Senior Mark White (Milton, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) was the only non-Division thrower to compete in the discus and finished 18th with a distance of 121-feet, ten-inches.

 

Junior Daniel Kincade (Brookfield, Conn./Brookfield) finished 20th in the hammer throw with a distance of 155-feet, 4-inches. Senior Patrick Fanning (Rockland, Mass./Rockland) was 24th at 138-06. They were the only non-Division I athletes competing in the event.

 

Senior Daniel Newton (Reading, Mass./Reading Memorial) placed 23rd in the shot put with a distance of 42-feet, 6-inches. Fanning was 24th with a throw of 41-10.50.

 

Stonehill will host the Skyhawk Invitational on Friday, April 29, at W.B. Mason Stadium at 4 p.m.