Men's Track & Field Competes at 51st Colonial Relays


Sophomore Stefan Balestra competed in the Championship Division for the hammer throw.

Balestra, Griffin and Santo lead Skyhawks performances on Friday

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (April 1, 2016) – The Stonehill College men's track & field program opened its weekend competing among 63 programs, including 43 at the NCAA Division I level, at one of the largest scored meets in the country on day two of the 51st annual Colonial Relays, hosted by William & Mary University, at Walter J. Zable Stadium and Dan Stimson Throwing Areas today.

Sophomore Stefan Balestra (Lincoln, Rhode Island/Lincoln) competed in the Championship University Division of the hammer throw and placed 13th with a distance of 146-feet, 9-inches. He was one of just five Division II and III throwers in the championship division for the event. Senior Mason Griffin (Wellesley, Massachusetts/Wellesley) placed eighth out of 26 competitors in the University Division hammer throw with a distance of 136-feet, 11-inches, ranking second among non-Division I throwers.

Griffin was also fourth out of 38 entries in the University Division shot put with a distance of 48-feet, 6.25-inches.

Junior Joe Santo (Newburyport, Massachusetts/Newburyport) finished 21st out of 43 entries in the University Division 10,000-meter run with a time of 31:45.35 – good for fourth among non-Division I runners in the event.

Sophomore Jason Dimmick (Sutton, Massachusetts/Sutton) finished 30th out of 90 entries in the University Division 800-meter run with his time of 1:57.60. Freshman David Lockhart (Stoughton, Massachusetts/Stoughton) placed 36th in 1:58.25, while freshman Stephen Vercollone (Pembroke, Massachusetts/Pembroke) was 59th in 2:00.75.

 
Junior Joe Santo finished 21st in the 10,000-meter run on Friday night.

Freshman Alexander Demeule (Merrimac, Massachusetts/Pentucket Regional) finished 27th out of 75 entries in the University Division 1500-meter run with his time of 4:02.56, while classmate Christopher Drace (Franklin, New Jersey/Pope John XXIII) placed 29th in 4:03.16. Freshman Riley Dowd (Peabody, Massachusetts/Peabody Veterans Memorial) took 39th in 4:04.44.

Sophomore Mark Hamalian (West Bridgewater, Massachusetts/Bridgewater-Raynham) placed tenth in the University Division high jump competition by clearing 5-feet, 10.50-inches. He also took 12th place in the University long jump with a distance of 21-feet, 4.25-inches.

Sophomore Joshua Hubbell (Gloucester, Massachusetts/St. John's Prep) placed 16th in the University Division long jump with a distance of 21-feet, 0.75-inches. Classmate Jonathan Naval (Stratford, Connecticut/Bunnell) finished 20th out of 38 entries in the event by clearing 20-10.50.

Hubbell was also 58th out of 90 entries in the University Division 200-meter dash with a time of 22.92-seconds. Sophomore Patrick Ahern (Charlotte, North Carolina/Providence Day School) placed 66th in 23.18-seconds.

Junior All-American Matt Baldasare (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) placed 41st out of 92 entries in the University Division 400-meter dash with a time of 50.53-seconds. Sophomore Ruddy Severino (Methuen, Massachusetts/Methuen) placed 69th in 51.67-seconds.

Freshman Joe Connolly (Wilmington, Massachusetts/Austin Prep) finished 33rd out of 62 entries in the University Division 100-meter dash with a time of 11.18-seconds.

Stonehill concludes its weekend at the Colonial Relays in Williamsburg on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. Stonehill will host its annual Skyhawk Invitational on Saturday, April 30, at 10:30 a.m.

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