Brena Wins High Jump, Women’s Track & Field Eighth at NE10 Championships
BOSTON (February 21, 2010) -- Sophomore Paola Brena (Queretaro, Mexico) chalked up her second Northeast-10 Conference indoor high jump title in as many years on Friday afternoon, as she led the way for the Franklin Pierce University women's track & field team on the second day of the NE10 Championships, held at Reggie Lewis Center. In the end, the Ravens finished eighth, out of 11 teams, at the meet.
Brena, who assured her spot in the NCAA Championships long ago, took care of business for the second straight year at the league's indoor title meet. She cleared 1.71 meters to take home the NE10 crown, as well as All-NE10 First Team honors to go with it.
The event win garnered 10 points for the Ravens, who collected 28 points on the day. Combined with six points from Thursday, it made for a 34-point meet for Franklin Pierce. Stonehill (152.5 points) took home the NE10 title, followed by Assumption in second (98 points) and American International (97 points) in third. Only five points separated second from fifth place.
Franklin Pierce saw several other athletes place in the top eight to score points for the team. In the shot put, freshman Julieth Nwosu (Brockton, Mass.) took fifth for her 13.01-meter throw to collect four points. She was accompanied by senior Katey Comstock who took ninth for her 12.00-meter throw. In sixth for the high jump, behind Brena, was senior Olivia Mabbett (Milford, N.H.), who cleared 1.53 meters to earn three points. In the 400, freshman Nyjah Young-Bey (Montclair, N.J.) took fourth and chalked up five points for her 57.43-second time. Sophomore Alana Thompson (Westampton, N.J.) took eighth and earned a point in the 800, for her 2:23 time. With a 25.69-second time, Young-Bey returned to take seventh in the 200-meter finals and garner two more points. Junior Marissa Farago (Salisbury, Mass.) took eighth in the 3k for her 10.48 time to earn a point as well. In the 4x800-meter relay, the women took seventh for their 10:02 time to earn two points. The team consisted of freshman Victoria Van Houten (Wantage, N.J.), senior Julia Cormier (Northwood, N.H.), junior Marisa Carbone (Scarborough, Maine) and Thompson.
Several other Ravens were in action as well, elsewhere at the meet. In the triple jump, Brena took 11th for her 10.87-meter jump. Sophomore Samantha DeSouza (Sebago, Maine) took 12th for her 11.37-meter throw in the shot put. Along with her was freshman Becca Olsen (Newton, N.H.), who took 14th for her 10.88-meter throw. Behind Farago in the 3k, junior Lauren Stankiewicz (Naugatuck, Conn.) took 13th for her 11:56 time. The 4x400 team consisting of sophomore Sara Joyce (Pepperell, Mass.), freshman Destini Hill-Edwards (Paget, Bermuda), sophomore Alena Masterson (Pelham, N.H.) and Young-Bey ran a time of 4:15 to finish ninth.
The Ravens are scheduled to send select athletes to New York, N.Y., for the Ocean Breeze Last Chance meet on Saturday, Feb. 29.
For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce track & field apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (https://www.shopfpuravens.com).