Spencer |
Johnson |
Hanlon |
Blaszczyk |
Skyhawks first place effort earns Conference's men's relay of the week
EASTON, Mass. (January 21, 2013) – The Stonehill College men's 4x800-meter relay team has been named the Northeast-10 Conference's Relay Team of the Week by the Conference office this afternoon.
Stonehill's 4x800-meter relay team is the first to earn the men's NE-10 Relay of the Week award in its first year of existence. The team was among three winning performances for the Skyhawks who posted a second place team finish at the University of Rhode Island Sorlien Invitational on Saturday as it placed first in 8:11.22.
Running the event for Stonehill was senior Sam Spencer (Seekonk, Mass./Seekonk) on the lead leg, junior All-American Justin Blaszczyk (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown) second, senior Tim Johnson (Thomaston, Conn./Thomaston) third and senior All-American Sean Hanlon (Georgetown, Mass./St. John's Prep) on the anchor leg. Spencer got the Skyhawks off to a flying start with a 1:59.9 split on the first leg, while Blaszczyk completed the second leg in 2:03.2, Johnson ran the third leg in 2:02.3 and Hanlon closed the win out with a 2:05.5 anchor run.
The group was also part of a commanding Stonehill effort in the mile run on Saturday as the Skyhawks placed three runners in the top five and five in the top ten. Johnson led the crew with a third place finish in 4:18.03, with Spencer fourth in 4:24.37 and Hanlon fifth in 4:26.01. Blaszczyk finished eighth in 4:28.51.
Hanlon, Spencer and Blaszczyk were all part of Stonehill's 4x800-meter relay that earned All-New England honors at the New England Outdoor Championships last May. Hanlon and Blaszczyk earned All-America honors with the 4000-meter distance medley relay team and All-New England honors with the indoor 4x800 relay at the New England Championships last winter. Hanlon is a seven-time All-New England performer and two-time All-American (DMR).
Stonehill, ranked 21st in last week's U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) Division II poll, is back in action on Saturday at the Joe Donahue Games, hosted by Northeastern University, at Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center, on Friday at 3 p.m. The Skyhawks will also compete at the BU Terrier Classic, hosted by Boston University, at the BU Track and Tennis Center on Saturday at 9 a.m.
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