RIVERDALE, N.Y. – After having its 13-year winning streak at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Outdoor Championships snapped in 2011, the Manhattan College men's track & field team regained the title last season. The Jaspers then added their 17th straight indoor crown in February, putting them in the position as favorites at this year's MAAC Outdoor Championships, which take place on Saturday and Sunday at the Rider University Track & Field Complex. Saturday's events get underway at 4 p.m., while competition begins at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
“On the men's side, we need to compete,” Head Coach Dan Mecca said. “Everybody needs to compete as well as they can in each of their events. If that happens, we'll come out on top.”
Manhattan's men will be looking to get off to a good start in the hammer throw, where the top three seeds are all Jaspers. Phil Ragan (Belmar, N.J.) is favored in the javelin, while Ian McGinnis (Philadelphia, Pa.) is seeded first in the discus and Rokas Kirlys (Kamaji, Lithuania) is a contender in the shot put.
A pair of Jaspers set school records earlier this outdoor season. Mohamed Koita (Cergy, France), who joined the track team a few weeks ago after completing his basketball eligibility, won the men's Eastern high jump at the Penn Relays last week with a leap of 2.20 meters (seven feet, 2½ inches). Brian McGovern (Yonkers, N.Y.), meanwhile, broke his own mark in the pole vault with a 5.36 m (17'7) clearance, and he enters the MAAC Championships looking to secure his fourth straight conference title in the event.
McGovern's top challenger in the pole vault might be teammate Tom Bechert (Munich, Germany), who has cleared 5.15 m (16'10¾), the second-best mark in school history, this season. Bechert and fellow decathlete Felix Siljeback-Larsen (Vasteras, Sweden) are both entered in five different events, and threats to score in each. Bechert was the Most Outstanding Performer for Field Events at the MAAC Indoor Championships.
On the track, Greg Perrier (Dix Hills, N.Y.) and Mikael Rojeras (Sala, Sweden) went 1-3 in an exciting 800 meters last year, and the duo come into this season's MAAC Championships with the two best times in the conference. Rojeras should also be in the mix in the 1500 meters. In the sprints, the Jaspers will look to Abdias Myrtil (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.) in the 100 and 200 meters, as well as Sheldon Derenoncourt (Patchogue, N.Y.) in the 400 meters.
“We're looking to give our best effort. To really do what we can as a team,” Mecca said. “For the men, it's going to be a very close meet, and it could possible come down to the mile relay.”
The Manhattan women's squad has had to deal with injuries throughout the outdoor season. Some of their key athletes are still on the sidelines, but the Jaspers still bring plenty of firepower to the conference meet.
Lydia Wehrli (Anieres, Switzerland) has set the school record in the hammer throw twice this season, and her personal best of 57.35 m (188'2) is more than five meters further than anyone else in the MAAC has thrown. In the pole vault, MAAC indoor champion Melissa Yap (Orchard Park, N.Y.) leads a talented Manhattan contingent that's capable of sweeping the podium.
Andrea Nyback (Koping, Sweden) is entered in four events, including the long jump, where she's the top seed. Another versatile Jasper capable of scoring in a wide variety of events is Alina Koenigs (Moenchengladbach, Germany), who'll contest the long and triple jumps, as well as the javelin, discus and shot put. Doreen Horschig (Lumpzig, Germany) will also be busy. She'll contest three individual events and is among the favorites in the 100 meter hurdles.
Milena Stoicev (Nis, Serbia) has a chance to end Iona's dominance in the 800 and 1500 meters, while Ashley Bowman (Elmont, N.Y.), who earned Most Outstanding Performer for Track Events honors at the MAAC Indoor Championships, anchors the Jaspers' sprint corps. Bowman is entered in the 100 and 200 meters, and she'll likely run a leg on both the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays. Wahnetah Carty (Gales Ferry, Conn.) has also emerged as a contender in the sprint events during the outdoor season.
“For the women, we have a lot of key injuries, unfortunately,” Mecca said. “We're hoping that the women can give us their best effort, and if we can finish top three—possibly even second—that would be a good result.”
The top eight finishers will score team points on the women's side (10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1), while the men's meet is scored to six places (10-8-6-4-2-1). The competition on the men's side should come down to Manhattan, the defending champions, and Rider, the 2011 winners. Two-time defending champion Saint Peter's is favored on the women's side, with Rider and Manhattan expected to challenge.
