Men's Track & Field Hosts BSU Bears Invitational

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's outdoor track & field team hosted the BSU Bears Invitational on Saturday at cold and rainy Swenson Field.

In the track events, the Bears earned three first-place performances, three second-place finishes and three third-place showings.

Freshman Kyle Ackroyd (Charlestown, R.I.) won the 10,000-meter run with a time of 33:53.19, while senior Ryan Goldman (Franklin, Mass.) and freshman Alexavier Almeida (North Attleboro, Mass.) finished second (34:16.08) and third (34:30.40), respectively.

Sophomore Kevin McBirney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) was the first to cross the finish line in the 1,500-meter run as he completed the race in a time of 4:04.47.

The Bears' relay squad featuring freshman Michael Neitlich (Middleboro, Mass.), sophomore Stephen Spofford (Chelmsford, Mass.), freshman Drew Roberts (Manchester, N.H.) and sophomore Charles Dakai (Millville, Masss.) captured top honors in the 4x400 with a time of 3:38.74.

Neitlich also placed second in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.93 seconds.

Sophomoe Chigozie Adigwe (Lowell, Mass.) placed second in the 110-meter hurdles (15.44) and finished third in the 400-meter hurdles (56.95).

Senior Mason Matias (New Bedford, Mass.) posted a time of 11.46 seconds to record a third-place showing in the 100-meter dash.

The Bears picked up a pair of first-place performance in the field events as well as two second-place finishes and two third-place showings.

Senior Corey Stalters (Norton, Mass.) grabbed top honors in the javelin with a heave of 197 feet, eight inches (60.24m). Stalters also earned a third-place showing in the shot put with a toss of 43 feet, 0.5 inches (13.12m).

Senior Blake Kerwin (Rehoboth, Mass.) took home the long jump title with a mark of 22 feet, 6.75 inches (6.88m).

Junior Thomas Barinelli (Tewksbury, Mass.) placed second in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 7.5 inches (6.59m). Barinelli also recorded a height of six feet, 0.75 inches (1.85) to finish third in the high jump.

Sophomore Leo Lopez (Haverhill, Mass.) placed second in the hammer throw with a distance of 140 feet, nine inches (42.90m).

Adigwe (110H, 400H), Barinelli (LJ), Kerwin (LJ), Neitlich (400H) and Stalters (JV) each qualified for the Division III New England Championships in their respective events. Kerwin also qualified for the NEICAAA Championships in the long jump, while Stalters did the same in the javelin.

Next Saturday, the Bears travel to Darmouth, Massachusetts for the UMass Dartmouth Corsair Classic.