BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's track & field team captured both the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) and New England Alliance Outdoor Track & Field championships on Saturday at Swenson Field.
The Bears won the MASCAC outdoor title for the fourth time in program history and first since 2013. Bridgewater also won the conference championship in 1996 and 2012. The Bears tallied 257 points in the MASCAC scoring to easily outdistance runner-up Westfield State University (171 pts.)
Bridgewater captured the New England Alliance title for the fourth time in the last six years. The Bears won three straight Alliance outdoor championships from 2013 to 2015. Bridgewater accumulated 166 points in the Alliance scoring to finish well ahead of second place UMass Dartmouth (108.5 pts.).
Sophomore Trevor Wysong (Taunton, Mass.) won the MASCAC and Alliance individual titles in both the 10,000-meter run (32:28.57) and the 5,000-meter run (15:42.44).
Seniors Michael Kotleski (Great Barrington, Mass.) and Cameron Williamson (North Easton, Mass.) were also MASCAC and Alliance champions. Kotleski in the 400-meter hurdles (55.57) and Williamson in the triple jump (47'3.75"/14.42m).
Kotleski, junior Joshua Higgins (Fitchburg, Mass.), sophomore Lamont Haynes (Boston, Mass.) and freshman John Lara (South Boston, Mass.) posted a time of 3:19.11 in the 4x400-meter relay to garner both MASCAC and Alliance champion honors.
Junior Jamie Carlson (Jericho, Vt.) set the school record and won the MASCAC individual title in the pole vault with a height of 13 feet, 5.25 inches (4.10m). Carlson eclipsed Rob Ricciardi's previous outdoor mark of 13 feet, three inches set in 2005.
Higgins, junior Joseph Keough (Walpole, Mass.), sophomore Nick Johnson (Marstons Mills, Mass.) and freshman Joshua Moore (Cape May, N.J.) also captured MASCAC individual championships. Higgins in the 800-meter run (1:57.02), Keough in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:42.47), Johnson in the discus throw (147'9"/45.03m) and Moore in the long jump (22'1.75"/6.75m).
Next weekend, qualifying members of the BSU outdoor track & field teams will compete at the Division III New England Championships hosted by MIT.