MAHWAH--The College New Jersey’s outdoor track and field teams continued their dominance during the 2011 NJAC Outdoor Track and Field Conference Championships as the Lion women won up their 19th straight title and the men picked up their 14th straight on May 7 at Ramapo.
TCNJ’s men topped the field scoring 190.5 points with Rowan University taking second with 152 points while host Ramapo College finished third with 128.5 points. The Lion women won the NJAC title held with 190 points with the Lady Roadrunners tallied 122.33 points, and Rowan placed third overall with 107.33 points. The Lion women won five events while the men won six events.
Sophomore Demetrius Rooks of Rowan University was crowed NJAC Champion in the 400-meter hurdles with a NJAC meet record and NCAA automatic qualifying time of 52.63. Rooks also placed first in the 400-meter dash with a NCAA provisional time of 48.19. Senior Kyle Gilroy of TCNJ placed second while sophomore Corey Graves placed third (54.22), both are NCAA provisional times
Junior Craig Van Leeuwen of Ramapo College was crowned NJAC Champion, set a new meet record with a NCAA provisional mark of 5.05-meters in the pole vault. Van Leeuwen also won the NJAC Indoor meet earlier this year. Gilroy was crowned NJAC Champion in the 110-meter hurdles with a NCAA provisional time of 14.69 while Kevon Brown of Rutgers-Newark placed second in 14.82, also a NCAA provisional time. Junior Ben Hammond tied the NJAC meet record in the triple jump when he placed first with a mark of 14.70-meters. Senior Joseph Gingerelli of Montclair State, was crowned NJAC Champion in the javelin with a NCAA provisional mark of 61.52-meters.
On the women’s side, sophomore Heather Gearity of Montclair State University set a new NJAC meet record and NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 400-meter hurdles when she clocked in at 1:01.68. Sophomore Tiffany Chamberlin of Rowan placed second in 1:03.11, also NCAA automatic qualifier. Rookie Emily Kulcyk of TCNJ placed third with a NCAA provisional time of 1:04.63. Senior Meryl Wimberley of TCNJ set a new meet record and NCAA provisional time in the 800-meter run when she clocked in 2:12.73 while teammate Brigit Roemer was crowned NJAC Champion in the triple jump and the high jump with marks of 11.35-meters and 1.65-meters respectively. Her jump in the high jump is a NCAA provisional mark. Victoria Barden of Richard Stockton College placed second in the high jump with a NCAA provisional mark of 1.65-meters.
In the women’s pole vault, host Ramapo College finished 1-2-3. Sophomore Michelle Favre was crowned NJAC Champion when she cleared 3.55-meters while senior Lauren Riley placed second (3.55-meters), both are NCAA provisional jumps. Gina Germinario took home third place when she cleared 3.10-meters. Sophomore Ashadaya Patterson of Montclair State, was crowned NJAC Champion in the 100-meter hurdles with a NCAA provisional time of 14.69 while junior Maura Burke placed second in 14.97, also a NCAA provisional time.
The Montclair State women’s 4x400-meter relay team out-kicked Ramapo down the final stretch to win the event in 3:53.35 in an exciting final. The Red Hawk team was made up of Patterson, rookie Krystal Ellis, rookie Michelle McNulty and Gearity. The Roadrunners clocked in at 3:53.75; there team is made up of senior Sophia Davis, sophomore Katie Walsh, Burke and Pharline Dauphin.