The BU men’s track team hosted the Fastrack Invitational meet last Saturday, adding another chapter to the short but impressive history of its new indoor facility. The meet featured hundreds of entries, dozens of schools and many unattached amateur runners, making for some tough competition.
Sophomore Andre Nacaxe had the breakout performance of the day for the BU men, as he crossed the line in the 400-meter dash in first place. It took Nacaxe just 48.06 seconds a personal best to win a race which featured three Terrier finishers in the top seven. A pair of seniors followed Nacaxe, as Matt Adler took third and Steve Deppe grabbed seventh.
The men’s 4×400 relay team also had a historic day. The team of Nacaxe, Deppe, senior Chris Brandon and freshman Lucjan Zaborowski won with a new facility record time of 3:11.34. That time was good enough to stand as the third best time in the history of Boston University.
Meanwhile, the women’s team hosted the St. Valentine’s Invitational, a meet that began Friday and needed some of Saturday to conclude. Like the men’s meet, the women’s competition was an individual-based weekend, with a large number of entrants and a high level of competition present.
The best Terrier performances came from the usual places. Senior Lauren Warman continued her dominant season in the 400, finishing second with a time of 55.45 seconds, behind only an Adidas runner. Consistent senior Andrea Stuermer also put up her usual impressive performance, grabbing second in the pole vault. Junior New Zealander Julia Nazzer turned some heads in the 1,000 meters, taking second in that race.
Next up for the track teams are the America East Championships, to be hosted on Ashford Street this weekend.
SWIMMING UP A STORM
The America East Swimming Championships took place in Orono, Maine last weekend. Sophomore diver Victor Paquia helped the Terrier men to a second-place finish at the event.
Paquia captured the one and three-meter diving competitions, earning him the Men’s Outstanding Diver of the Year award. Freshman Mike Kelly won the 100 free and finished third in two other events, while junior Jay Toutant placed first in the 100 backstroke and second in the 200 back. But even those strong performances were not enough for the BU men to overcome Binghamton University for the team title, 771-678.
The women’s team also was able to collect the conference’s Women’s Outstanding Diver of the Year award, as junior Stacey Gallacher took home the hardware after winning the one-meter dive and taking second in the three-meter competition.
Senior captain Karissa Lopez, who competed and placed in seven events, helped lead the Terriers to a fourth place finish out of seven teams. Northeastern University took home the title.
Men’s and women’s diving coach Agnes Miller received the Men’s and Women’s Outstanding Diving Coach of the Year awards for her efforts.
SERVING UP SOME BRAND-NEW DIGS
While the track was christened back in December, it took until Feb. 9 for the BU women’s tennis team to start breaking in the courts in the new Track and Tennis Center. The women won their first two matches in the new building.
After defeating Cornell University 4-3 in the first match, the Terriers dominated Stony Brook University, 7-0, to up their spring record to 2-0. Freshman Laura Ahmes was the deciding factor in the first match, winning her match in three sets to secure the win over the Big Red. A total team effort came forth against the Sea Wolves, as the BU women did not lose a set en route to the sweep last Sunday.
The opening was not quite as sweet for the Terrier men, as they fell to Stony Brook on Sunday, 5-2. Juniors Geoff Wagner and Adam Seigel won at singles, while the pair of seniors J.P. Debbink and Jason Vinoles won at third doubles, but the team fell to 1-1.
The women head across the river on Saturday to face the Harvard University Crimson, while the men are next in action on Mar. 8, hosting the Colorado School of Mines.