Three others in early-season top-five in NE-10

BRIDGWATER, Mass. (March 23, 2013) – Freshman Adam-Corey Rander (Bronx, N.Y.) chalked up three top-10 finishes, highlighted by a 13.32-meter, third-place finish in the triple jump, for the Franklin Pierce University men's track and field team on Saturday at the BSU Bears Invitational, hosted by Bridgewater State University at Edward C. Swenson Athletic Complex. In all, the Ravens tallied eight top-10 finishes on the day.

Rander's triple jump ranked second among Division II competition at the meet, as he was bettered only by Stonehill's Herby Saintil (13.57m). In addition, Rander's 13.32-meter hop, skip and jump was just 1.18 meters shy of the NCAA Championship provisional qualifying standard. For perspective, a mark of 13.32 meters would have ranked seventh in the Northeast-10 during the recently completed indoor season.

Rander's other two top-10 finishes came on the track, as he matched his third-place triple jump with a third-place run in the 400-meter dash (51.93). At half that distance, he posted a 23.86 to finish 10th in the 200-meter dash.

Rander was joined in the 200-meter event by freshman Mike Abrams (Newark, N.J.) who had himself a day in the sprint events, including a second-place finish in the 200-meter dash (22.73). Though he finished one spot farther back, with a third-place finish in the 100-meter dash (11.17), his time in the shorter event may have been more impressive. He finished in front of every other Division I and II runner at the meet, as he was bettered only by two competitors from host Bridgewater State. Further, the time -- which ranks first in the Northeast-10 in the early going -- was less than one second behind both the provisional and automatic qualifying standards for the NCAA Championship.

The Ravens wound up with three sprinters in the top 15 of the 100-meter dash, as freshmen Shawn DeCost (Nashua, N.H.) and Ryan Dionne (Amesbury, Mass.) tied each other for 15th (11.77), with times that are now tied for fourth in the Northeast-10. The remaining time which ranks in the top-five in the Northeast-10 on the track for Franklin Pierce came from sophomore Eric Gallos (Ventnor, N.J.), who finished sixth in the 10,000 meters (34:54.32).

Meanwhile, freshman Vincent Biunno (Montgomery, N.Y.) was back to his usual tricks both on the track and in the field. He finished second in the 100-meter hurdles (15.87) and tied for fifth in the high jump (1.83m). Rounding out field highlights for Franklin Pierce was freshman Sharaj Prince (Roseau, Dominica), who finished 10th in the discus (34.09m).

Elsewhere on the track, a trio of Ravens peppered the top-15 in a pair of middle-distance events. In the 800 meters, junior Antoine Gisore (Concord, N.H.) finished third (2:01.55), sophomore Makopa Rugabirwa (Concord, N.H.) took eighth (2:03.75) and freshman Isaac Fithian (Kingston, N.H.) placed 11th (2:04.70). In the 1,500 meters, Rugabirwa finished 11th (4:10.12) and Gisore took 13th (4:11.42).

The Ravens are back on the track on Saturday, March 30, at the Snowflake Classic, hosted by Tufts University at Dussault Outdoor Track in Medford, Mass.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). 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 and field apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).