Dec. 17, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College Men's and Women's Indoor Track teams have had a great start to their 2007-2008 season with many top-place finishes and post-season qualifying times. The men's team has participated in three meets, including the Brown University Alden Invitational on December 1st, the Fordham Invitational on December 7th, and the Harvard Open on December 8th, while the Women's team competed in the Brown and Fordham meets.

Junior Chris Dewey (Worcester, Mass.) led the way for the men in the Brown University Alden Invitational with a first place finish in the 500 Meter Dash (1:04.83), qualifying him for the BIG EAST and IC4A Championships. Three other Friars placed first for the men as senior Douglas Coffed (Norcross, Ga.) bested the 1-mile (4:25.86), senior Chris McDermott (West Haven, Conn.) took first in the 1000m (2:31.30), and Nicholas Barao snagged first in the 3000m (8:54.67).

The women were led by junior Sarah Morgan (Waikato, New Zealand) who placed first in the 3000m (10:24.97). Providence had two runners placed in the top five of the 1000m as junior Katherine Schock (Norwood, Mass.) placed third (3:04.43) and sophomore Samantha Stadt (Pearl River, N.Y.) finished fourth (3:05.39).

The Fordham Invitational was dominated by Providence as the men accounted for 13 top-five finishes and the women added eight. Schock led the women with a first-place finish in the 800m (2:19.3), and Stadt finished right behind her, placing second (2:20.2). The men had three first-place runners as Dewey took the 400m (49.3), junior Nick Berluti (Westwood, Mass.) won the 800m (1:59.8), and junior Lewin Richards (Sutton Mass.) placed first in the 200m (23.8).

The men had great success at the Harvard Open, recording three first-place finishes, each good enough to qualify for the BIG EAST and New England Championships. Dewey took first in the 500m (1:03.92) qualifying him for the BIG EAST, New England, and the IC4A Championships. McDermott won the 1 mile (4:18.13), and senior James Lourenco (West Warwick, R.I.) took first in the 800m (1:54.78) , qualifying them both for the BIG EAST and New England Championships.

The Providence Men's and Women's Indoor Track teams return to action in 2008 when they compete in the URI Invitational on Saturday, January 19th at 12:00 p.m. in Kingston, R.I.