Staten Island, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Track & Field program squared off with ten other conference members in the annual East Coast Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, held at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island on Sunday. On the day, the men's squad took a sixth place finish, while the women's team finished ninth.
Headlining the Spartans outstanding championship meet performances are Emmanuel Mena Jimenez winning the Weight Throw competition with a toss of 20.22m (66'4"), Leelan Maxwell's second place finish in the 60 Meter Dash, with a time of 6.98, and the Women's 4000 Meter DMR Team; featuring runners Ciara Durcan, Emma Neil, Isabella Farino-Esposito & Zoe Merryman placing second in a time of 12:58.05.
For Mena Jimenez, he continues to maintain his NCAA Division II Championship Provisional Mark, while also setting a new personal, school and conference records on Sunday.
In addition, on Monday the ECC named its All-Conference team selections. Spartans Leelan Maxwell (1st Tm/60 Meter Dash), Emmanuel Mena Jimenez (1st Tm/Weight Throw & 2nd Tm/Shot Put) Jayden Bennermon (2nd Tm/High Jump), Adam Lenn (2nd Tm/Shot Put & Weight Throw), Tyler Robinson (2nd Tm/Weight Throw), Zoe Merryman (2nd Tm/3000 Meter Run & 4000 Meter Distance Medley Relay), Ciara Durcan (2nd Tm/4000 Meter Distance Medley Relay), Emma Neil (2nd Tm/4000 Meter Distance Medley Relay), Isabella Farino-Esposito (2nd Tm/4000 Meter Distance Medley Relay) were all recognized for their extrodinary efforts in the conference championship meet.
STAC will close out their indoor campaign with select Spartans taking part in the Fasttrack Last Chance Invitational on Friday, February 23 (1:00 p.m.) at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island. Announcements about potential participants in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships will come shortly thereafter.
Preparations for the upcoming Outdoor Track & Field season will also get underway with the spring-half of the season beginning on Thursday, March 14th at the three-day Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
| Team Scores | |||
| Men | Score | Women | Score |
| 1. Holy Family | 155 | 1. Felician | 147.50 |
| 2. Roberts Wesleyan | 126 | 2. District of Columbia | 105 |
| 3. Molloy | 67 | 3. Roberts Wesleyan | 81 |
| 4. Georgian Court | 56 | 4. Holy Family | 58 |
| 5. Felician | 52 | 5. Daemen | 53 |
| 6. St. Thomas Aquinas | 48 | 6. D'Youville | 42 |
| 7. Daemen | 24 | 7. Molloy | 22 |
| 8. Staten Island | 19 | 8. Staten Island | 14.50 |
| 9. Queens | 4 | 9. St. Thomas Aquinas | 14 |
| 10. Queens | 10 | ||
| 11. Georgian Court | 4 | ||
Top 10 Finishers (By Event) at ECC Indoor Championships
Men's Events
60 Meter Dash: Leelan Maxwell - 6.98 (2nd Place)
200 Meter Dash: Leelan Maxwell - 22.76 (8th Place)
800 Meter Run: Charlie Moore - 2:06.31 (10th Place)
3000 Meter Run: James Polisena - 9:38.53 (10th Place)
4000 Meter Distance Medley Relay: Charlie Moore, Alexander Quillan, Nicholas Seitz & James Polisena - 11:05.19 (6th Place)
High Jump: Jayden Bennermon - 1.98m/6'6" (3rd Place)
Triple Jump: Jayden Bennermon - 13.58m/44'6.75" (5th Place)
Shot Put: Emmanual Mena Jimenez - 14.75m/48'4.75" (3rd Place), Adam Lenn - 13.72m/45'0.25" (4th Place), Ethan Zweigbaum - 12.62m/41'4.75" (6th Place)
Weight Throw: Emmanuael Mena Jimenez - 20.22m/66'4" (1st Place), Adam Lenn - 14.77m/48'5" (3rd Place), Tyler Robinson - 14.21m/46'7" (4th Place), Christopher Cajamarca - 12.75m/41'10" (7th Place), Gavin Kopf - 11.75m/38'7" (10th Place)
Women's Events
800 Meter Run: Ciara Durcan - 2:31.63 (8th Place)
3000 Meter Run: Zoe Merryman - 10:54.04 (3rd Place)
4000 Meter Distance Medley Relay: Ciara Durcan, Emma Neil, Isabella Farino-Esposito & Zoe Merryman - 12:58.05 (2nd Place)
4x400 Meter Relay: Emma Neil, Isabella Farino-Esposito, Megan Murphy & Ciara Durcan - 4:30.73 (10th Place)
Long Jump: Alana Rider - 4.81m/15'9.25" (10th Place)
Triple Jump: Alana Rider - 9.96m/32'8.25" (9th Place), Nicole Gysin - 9.91m/32'6.25" (10th Place)