Men's Track & Field Captures Tufts Jumbo Invitational Title

MEDFORD, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University men's indoor track & field took home the team title at the Tufts Jumbo Invitational held on Saturday at the Gantcher Field House.

The Bears scored 154.5 points which topped Coast Guard Academy (140 pts.). Host Tufts University (134.5 pts.) and Springfield College (132.5 pts.) rounded out the top four teams in the standings.

Senior Nick Johnson (Marstons Mills, Mass.) set a new school record and placed second in the weight throw with a toss of 55 feet, 10.75 inches (17.04m). Johnson bested his own previous mark of 55 feet, 9.25 inches (17.00m) set last season at the MASCAC Championships.

The Bears won six events on the day led by sophomore Jacob DeAndrade (Taunton, Mass.). DeAndrade captured top honors in both the 60-meter dash (7.05) and the 200-meter dash (22.44). His time in the 200 marked a season best.

Senior Joshua Higgins (Fitchburg, Mass.) placed first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.14 seconds, while freshman Dimetri Morris (North Andover, Mass.) won the 60-meter hurdles with a finals time of 8.59 seconds. Junior Nikolas Beshere (Winthrop, Mass.) was the first runner to cross finish line in the 5,000-meter run as he posted a time of 15:46.57.

Junior Joseph Zingarelli (North Kingston, R.I.) rounded out the Bears' individual event winners. Zingarelli took home the meet title in the pole vault with a distance of 13 feet, 7.25 inches (4.15m).

Sophomore Jadin Bruneau (Taunton, Mass.) was the runner-up to DeAndrade in the 200-meter dash (22.64), while freshman Joseph Madden Jr. (Milford, Mass.) finished fourth in the 600-meter run (1:25.09) and senior Olivier Ndikumana (Amherst, Mass.) placed fourth in the triple jump (42'10.75"/13.07m).

Johnson, DeAndrade (60, 200) and Bruneau each recorded qualifying marks or times for both the Division III New England Championships and the NEICAAA Championships.

Higgins, Morris, Zingarelli, Madden and Ndikumana all posted qualifying times or marks for DIII New Englands.

The indoor season continues for the BSU track & field teams next weekend as the Bears compete at the Massasoit Classic hosted by Springfield College.