Men's Track & Field Captures Massasoit Classic Title

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's indoor track & field team captured the meet title on Saturday at the Massasoit Classic hosted by Springfield College.

The Bears placed first in the team standings with 222 points. Host Springfield finished second with 163 points while Westfield State University (134 pts.) rounded out the top three teams.

In the field events, senior Exondus Barnes (East Providence, R.I.) grabbed top honors in the high jump with a leap of six feet, 4.75 inches (1.95m) as he was less than an inch shy of his own schoor indoor record of six feet, 5.50 inches () set in 2020. Senior Thomas Barinelli (Tewksbury, Mass.) finished fourth in the high jump (6'0.75"/1.85m).

Barnes also won the meet title in the long jump with a mark of 21 feet, 1.25 inches (6.43m). Sophomore Chris Beaulieu (Monson, Mass.) checked in at third in the long jump (20'3.75"/6.19m).

Graduate Corey Stalters (Norton, Mass.) and seniors Jason Dann (Reading, Mass.) and Jonathan Quigley (Haverhill, Mass.) finished 1-2-3 in the shot put with Stalters outdistancing the field with a toss of 49 feet, 9.75 inches (15.18m). Dann threw the shot 44 feet, 5.75 inches (13.56m) while Quigley checked in at 44 feet, five inches (13.54m).

Dann, Quigley and seniors Leo Lopez (Haverhill, Mass.) and Nathaniel Parker (Tisbury, Mass.) grabbed the top four spots in the weight throw and all posted personal-best marks. Dann won the event with a toss of 52 feet, seven inches (16.03) while Quigley (48'7"/14.80m) placed second, Lopez (46'11"/14.31m) placed third and Parker (45'7"/13.89m) finished fourth.

Sophomore Nicholas Grace (Acushnet, Mass.) placed fourth in the triple jump with a PR of 39 feet, 1.25 inches (11.92m).

In the track events, junior Kevin McBirney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) captured honors in two events. He was the first to cross the line in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:39.70 and won the 800-meter run with a time of 1:59.14.

Junior Stephen Spofford (Chelmsford, Mass.) placed first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.69 second while Beaulieu (53.56) was right behind in second place.

Barinelli placed second in the 60-meter hurdles with a finals time (and PR) of 8.46 seconds. Junior Chigozie Adigwe (Lowell, Mass.) added a third place showing in the hurdles (8.53).

Sophomore Mitchell Parent (Cumberland, R.I.) finished second in the 1,000-meter run (2:43.30). Sophomore Michael Neitlich (Middleboro, Mass.) placed second in the 600-meter run (1:24.61). Freshman Michael Mooney (Douglas, Mass.) and senior Michael Young (Shrewsbury, Mass.) finshed third (23.15) and fourth (23.21), respectively, in the 200-meter dash. Freshman Aydan Fournier (Assonet, Mass.) placed fourth in the 800-meter run (2:08.49).

Rounding out the Bears' top four placewinners was the 4x400-meter relay squad featuring Mooney, freshman Nathan Branco (Fairhaven, Mass.) and graduate student Jacob DeAndrade (Taunton, Mass.) and Jack Owen (Weymouth, Mass.). The foursome place third with a time of 3:39.04.

In upcoming action, the BSU indoor track & field teams will compete next Saturday at the River Hawk Invitational hosted by UMass Lowell.