INDOOR TRACK & FIELD: Suffolk Men, Emmanuel Women Tabbed Favorites at GNAC Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAMPIONSHIPS CENTRAL

LINKS: LIVE RESULTS | PERFORMANCE LIST | EVENT ORDER

GNAC to host inaugural indoor
meet Sunday at Boston University

WINTHROP, Mass. – For the first time in the league's history, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference is excited to sponsor its 2020 Indoor Track & Field Championships this Sunday, February 16 at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center. After adding outdoor track & field championships two years ago, the inaugural indoor meet will feature the GNAC's six sponsoring institutions: Colby-Sawyer College, Emmanuel College, Lasell University, Regis College, Saint Joseph's College of Maine, and Suffolk University. 

In pre-championship polls voted upon by the league's six head coaches, the Suffolk men and the Emmanuel women topped the respective rankings, with the Rams receiving five of six first-place votes and the Saints women sweeping all six first-place tallies. For the complete results, please see below. 

Field events on Sunday morning will begin at 11:00 AM, with the full-day schedule going until approxiamtely 5:00 PM, at which point the GNAC will conduct a post-meet ceremony recognizing event winners and top team finishers. 

The BU Track & Tennis Center, located at 100 Ashford Street, opened in 2002 and has 1,500 fixed seating and maximum capacity of nearly 5,000 fans. Take a look inside the 83,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility by clicking HERE.

For parking information, please click HERE. Guests MUST self-identify with the parking attendant on Sunday as going to an Athletics Event to park at a rate of $12.00 at 142 Gardner Street. Concessions will also be available for purchase and there is no fan admission charge. 

In the men's poll, Saint Joseph's finished second to Suffolk with one first-place vote and 29 points, followed by Regis, Emmanuel, Colby-Sawyer and Lasell.

The Suffolk men have dominated weekly accolades thus far in the GNAC's first indoor season under head coach Will Feldman, as sophomore Matyas Csiki-Fejer owns the top GNAC showings in the 1000-meter (2:36.99), the mile (4:25.40) and 3000-meter (8:42.53).

Meanwhile, sophomore Michael Balestra has captured three GNAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week honors and is tops among GNAC throwers in the weight throw with a toss of 15.30 meters, and Rams freshman Connor Baston has claimed four GNAC Rookie of the Week awards, laying claim to the top GNAC marks in both the 60-meter (7.31) and 200-meter (23.57), and he's also excelled in the long jump this winter. 

For the women, behind Emmanuel was Suffolk with 28 points, while Regis, Saint Joseph's, Colby-Sawyer and Lasell rounded out the poll.

The favorite Saints will look for stellar Sunday performances from junior Amanda Jordan and sophomore Hannah Fitzpatrick. Jordan has posted the top GNAC marks this winter in the high jump (1.56m), long jump (4.92m), and triple jump (10.36m), while Fitzpatrick is second in the 200-meter (2:27.21), third in the 1000-meter (3:15.95), third in the mile (5:25.67), and fifth in the 3000-meter (11:29.90). 

Other Emmanuel student-athletes with top event marks this season include freshman Cara Martin in the 200-meter (27.99), sophomore Lauren Sterling in the 60-meter hurdles (9.97), and freshman Teague Tallo in the weight throw (12.33m). 

For the Suffolk women, Rams junior standout and NCAA hopeful Emily Manfra will look to bring home multiple golds. The Stoneham, Mass. runner has the top GNAC time in the 800-meter (2:22.30), the mile (4:57.46), the 3000-meter (10:08.39), and the 5000-meter (17:49.67). 

The third-ever GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships will take place on Sunday, April 26, hosted on campus by Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H. 

2020 GNAC Men's Indoor Championship Poll
1. Suffolk (5) - 35
2. Saint Joseph's Maine (1) - 29
3. Regis - 24
4. Emmanuel - 19
5. Colby-Sawyer - 12
6. Lasell - 7 

2020 GNAC Women's Indoor Championship Poll
1. Emmanuel (6) - 36
2. Suffolk - 28
3. Regis - 26
4. Saint Joseph's Maine - 17
5. Colby-Sawyer - 13
6. Lasell - 6 

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

– #TheGNAC –