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| Head Coach Michael Delgado and the Skyhawks earn best preseason prediction since joining the NEC. |
EASTON, Mass. (March 22, 2024) – The Stonehill College men's track and field team has been slated to finish third in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll for the upcoming outdoor season, the league announced on Friday.
Stonehill most recently finished third in this past winter's indoor track and field conference championship meet and is looking to build off its impressive performance in the upcoming spring season.
Head Coach Michael Delgado will lead the Skyhawks for the fifth year and fourth outdoor season, losing one to the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming for the highest finish at the helm of the outdoor track and field program. The Skyhawks' third-place finish at NEC indoor championships in February saw the Skyhawks' best finish in his tenure as head coach. As Stonehill aims for its third-place projection, this would be the highest placement for a Skyhawk team during the outdoor season since the spring of 2018 when they finished third in the Northeast-10.
In Stonehill's first season at the Division I level as a member of the NEC last year, the Skyhawks were picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll before placing ninth in outdoor championships.
With a promising freshman class and a group of accomplished upperclassmen, Stonehill looks to carry its momentum from the indoor season into its second year of Division I competition.
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| Solomon King aims to follow up his record-breaking winter this spring for the Skyhawks. |
Wagner stood atop the preseason poll for the fourth straight season, earning six first-place votes with Central Connecticut State following the Seahawks with three first-place votes. Wagner has won the conference crown three consecutive outdoor seasons dating back to 2021 and most recently took home first place at this winter's NEC indoor championships.
Stonehill's squad heading into the spring is highlighted by senior Solomon King (Norwood, Mass.) who had two top-6 finishes at last year's conference championships while competing in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. He is also coming off two first-place finishes at indoor championships while breaking two school records in the process this winter.
Senior Jacob Pacheco (Merrimack, N.H.) was the top point-scorer for the Skyhawks at last year's conference championship, placing third in the javelin throw. A total of seven freshmen earned points as top-eight finishers at the NEC Indoor Championships in Staten Island this past winter and will be key additions to a promising Skyhawk team going into the spring.
Stonehill also returns a handful of top-10 finishers from last year's outdoor championships including senior Patrick Garratt (Westwood, Mass.), fifth-year Colin Black (Hopedale, Mass.), senior Connor Hughes (Melrose, Mass.), senior Cody DeAngelo (Old Saybrook, Conn.), and junior Parker Hagen (Newport, R.I.).
Stonehill track and field opens its outdoor season at the Merrimack Track Carnival in North Andover, Mass. at Duane Stadium on Thursday, March 28. The Skyhawks will host the 15th annual Skyhawk Invite at W.B. Mason Stadium here at Stonehill on April 27 as the team celebrates its senior class. Northeast Conference Championships will be hosted by CCSU on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
