Baltimore, Md. – The UMBC track and field team will send 26 members to Princeton, New Jersey this weekend for the 2018 IC4A/ECAC Championships. These members include America East Champions Kaya Knake, Kelechi Nwanaga, and Brian Nelson, as well as the conference champion men's 4x100m team and the women's 4x800m team and 4x400m team.
IC4A/ECAC Championships Info:
What: 2018 IC4A/ECAC Championships
When: Saturday, May 12th – Sunday, May 13th
Where: Princeton, N.J. – Weaver Stadium
Social Media: @umbcxctf, @UMBCAthletics, #AETF, #RetrieverNation
Last Time Out (America East Outdoor Championships):
The Retrievers had a successful showing in the America East Championships last weekend at UMBC Stadium, which included seven first-place finishes, and two conference records being broken.
Kelechi Nwanaga, named Most Outstanding Rookie, broke the America East and UMBC record in the javelin throw on the way to a first place finish, with a throw of 53.08m, while Kaya Knake broke the America East record in the 800m with a time of 2:07.23. This time also was a UMBC record.
Knake also led the 4x800m team of herself, Briana Roberts, Bridgett Redding, and Ariella Garcia to the conference title with a time of 9:02.75. Also winning a title for the women was the 4x400m team of Funmi Daramola, Tori Johnson, Collese Daley, and Kara Patrice with a time of 3:48.76.
Wallace also finished in fourth in the 200m dash with a time of 24.60, and finished in eighth in the 400m dash with a time of 1:00.06. In the 5,000m event, Kelsey Ponton took fourth with a time of 17:42.17.
The men were led to a third-place overall finish by Brian Nelson, who won the Coaches Award, after placing first in both the 100m and 200m events with times of 10.62 and 21.42. Nelson was also on the 4x100m team that took first in 41.10. Also on this relay squad was Donald Duncan, James Oakley III, and John Oputa.
Other top finishes for the Retrievers included Miles Smith taking second in the 800m with a time of 1:51.61, Jamal Cody taking second in the 400m hurdles with a time of 51.54 (fastest in school history), Cody taking third in the 110m hurdles in 14.43.
The 4x400m relay team of Nelson, Oakley, Oputa, and Cody crossed the line in second with a time of 3:16.37, while the 4x800m relay team of Taylor Baranoski, Erik Jenks, Rhys Burgett, and Smith took third in the event. The Retrievers finished with a time of 7:37.04.
Russell Bowman finished second in the shot put with his throw of 16.21m.
Next Time Out:
The Retrievers will head south next weekend for the NCAA East Preliminaries, being held in Tampa Bay, Fla.
