MIDDLEBURY, Vt. (April 9, 2017) – Competing outside for the first time on the season, the Franklin Pierce University men's track & field team opened the season in style on Sunday at the Panther Spring Invitational, hosted by Middlebury College. The Ravens collected wins in 10 events to pile up 220 points and capture a meet title for the first time in program history.

Freshman Domenic Branco (Pelham, N.H.) was among the leaders for the victorious Ravens on Sunday. He established a new program record while winning the shot put, by posting a heave of 13.64 meters.

Meanwhile, also in field events, junior Rindal Pierre-Canel (Randolph, Mass.) was putting together an impressive double, as he tallied a pair of event victories. He won the long jump, with a leap of 6.56 meters, and also took first in the triple jump, by posting a mark of 13.59 meters.

Sophomore Robert Boardman (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) provided the remaining field-event win for Franklin Pierce on the day, as he took home first place in the high jump, by clearing 1.88 meters.

The rest of Franklin Pierce's victories came out on the track, where the Ravens laid claim to six more events. Senior Jon Holmes (Albany, N.Y.) led the way with a winning time of 1:55.81, while fellow senior B.J. Smith (Concord, N.H.) turned in a time of 4:01.59 to win the 1500 meters. At shorter distances, it was junior Nicholas Jacques (Westfield, Mass.) with a time of 11.29 seconds to win the 100-meter dash, while senior Cory Cataldo (Tewksbury, Mass.) stopped the clock at 15.89 seconds to win the 110-meter hurdles.

The Ravens also cashed in a relay victory, by taking first in the 4x100-meter relay. It was a quartet of sophomore Jaris Neville (Atlanta, Ga.), Cataldo, freshman Gerald Leith (Dorchester, Mass.) and Jacques, which turned in a winning time of 42.59 seconds.

Elsewhere, sophomore Anthony Barinelli (Tewksbury, Mass.) was the lone participant in the 3000-meter steeplechase, which meant he picked up a win as well. He turned in a time of 10:37.27.

The Ravens return to action on April 14-15, when they travel to the Silfen Invitational, hosted by Connecticut College in New London, Conn.

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).