PREVIEW: Track & Field Heads for Northeast-10 Championships
Northeast-10 pre-championship Coaches' Poll
RINDGE, N.H. (February 16, 2018) – For the first time ever in 2018, the Northeast-10 Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships will be contested over two days, instead of just one, this Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17-18. The Franklin Pierce University men's and women's track & field programs are expected to field 47 entries across 30 events at the meet, which will be hosted by American International College on the campus of Smith College in Northampton, Mass.
In the pre-championship Coaches' Poll, which was released on Friday morning, Franklin Pierce was picked to finish sixth in the men's meet and eighth in the men's meet.
On the men's side of things, the Ravens picked up 52 points in the poll, to be picked sixth out of 11 teams. Southern Connecticut State (95 points) collected six first-place votes to narrowly edge out host AIC (94 points) at the top of the poll, with the Yellow Jackets taking the remaining five first-place votes. Stonehill (79 points), Merrimack (67 points) and Adelphi (65 points) rounded out the top five positions, ahead of Franklin Pierce. SCSU is the defending NE10 champion.
As for the women's poll, Franklin Pierce collected 51 points to place eighth out of 12 teams. With coaches not allowed to vote for their own team, Stonehill was the unanimous first-place pick on the women's side, as the Skyhawks collected 11 of 12 available first-place votes and 121 points to be picked in the top spot. Stonehill head coach Karen Boen cast her first-place vote for Southern Connecticut State, which picked up 107 points to place second. AIC (96 points) was third, while Assumption (84 points) and Merrimack (84 points) tied for fourth to round out the top-five selections. Stonehill is the four-time defending NE10 champion.
A full schedule of events for the NE10 Championship can be found here: Indoor Track Schedule of Events.
Scouting the Ravens
A full list of Franklin Pierce's entries into the NE10 Championship meet can be found here: Franklin Pierce Indoor Entries.
On the men's side of things, the Franklin Pierce track & field and cross country program has made a recent habit of over-performing the expectations of their peers in the league. At the 2017 outdoor championships, the men were picked to place seventh, but finished as the meet's runner-up. This past fall, the cross country team was ranked 10th in the region heading into the NCAA Championship East Regional, but placed fifth. The team will look to similarly punch above its expected finish of sixth this weekend.
Labeled as "one of the toughest competitors we've ever had" by head coach Zach Emerson, middle distance runner Hugo Arlabosse (Marseille, France) will be looking to turn heads at the Conference meet as just a freshman. Arlabosse heads into the meet ranked third in the NE10 in the 800 meters, and has already laid down an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time in the event. He will also anchor both the 4x800-meter relay and the distance medley relay, as well as run the lead leg on the 4x400-meter relay. Both the 4x800 and the 4x400 squads are currently ranked among the top five in the NE10.
Speaking of relays, the Ravens expect their relay squads to rip off chunks of points, as they have been a strength for the team in the past. Emerson expects all three men's relays to be contenders for NE10 titles, while the women's distance medley and 4x800 squads should score as well. "We are loading all of our relays to ensure that they are as competitive as possible," said Emerson. "We have a long tradition of success in the relays, and we look to keep that going this weekend.
On the women's side of things, two names in particular stand out for the Ravens. Senior Emily Quinn (West Bridgewater, Mass.) enters the NE10 Championship ranked second in the league in the weight throw, on the strength of a monster, NCAA provisional mark of 17.46 meters, which she posted at SCSU on the first weekend of the season. "Quinn has the chance to put an exclamation mark on a phenomenal senior season," said Emerson. "No one works harder and deserves it more than Emily. She's got a big throw in her. She knows it. We know it. And her competitors know it."
Meanwhile, Emerson gave graduate student Nicole Galewski (Whitman, Mass.) plaudits as "the backbone of our women's team," while noting the fifth-year student-athlete has add her eye on this weekend's two-day meet for quite some time. Galewski heads into the NE10 Championship ranked second in the Conference in the pentathlon, and put together her highest mark of the season just two weeks ago at the NEICAAA Championships.
Elsewhere, Arlabosse is not the only Franklin Pierce underclassman who may garner attention at the championship meet. Both sophomore Jeff Reddy (Chester, N.H.) and freshman Marissa Farago (Salisbury, Mass.) are set to compete in both the 3000- and 5000-meter races, with Emerson particularly interested in seeing the two showcase their skills at the longer distance, as he praised their ability to run championship-style races. Reddy is ranked seventh in the men's 5000, while Farago is seeded 11th on the women's side.
Earlier this Season
Franklin Pierce heads into the NE10 Championship after a season which included a pair of NCAA Championship provisional qualifying marks:
Hugo Arlabosse -- 800 meters (1:52.33)
Emily Quinn -- weight throw (17.46m)
In addition, the Ravens set a total of eight program records along the way in 2017-18:
Hugo Arlabosse -- 500 meters (1:05.63)
Lilian Baah -- triple jump (11.53m)
Katey Comstock -- shot put (12.59m)
Marissa Farago -- 3000 meters (10:38.62)
Nicole Galewski -- pentathlon (3250 points)
Olivia Mabbett -- high jump (1.60m)
Jaris Neville -- 60-meter dash (7.04)
Emily Quinn -- weight throw (17.46m)
Previously at the NE10 Championships
A year ago, the men finished fifth out of 11 teams at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, in the 2017 edition of the NE10 Championships. It was the fourth straight top-five finish at the indoor championships for the Ravens, who have finished as high as third in 2016. The only non-top-five finish for Franklin Pierce at the event came at the 2013 meet, in the program's inaugural season.
As for the women, they finished eighth out of 12 squads in Boston a year ago, and it was the second straight year the team finished eighth. The team's best all-time finish at the indoor championships is seventh, which they accomplished in 2015.
Headed to the Meet?
If you plan on making the trip to the Meadow City for this weekend's meet, directions to Smith College's campus can be found here: Smith College Directions.
Ticket prices are set as follows:
Two-Day Adult Pass - $15
Adult Single Day - $8
Senior Single Day - $5
Youth (5-18) Single Day - $5
Students (with valid ID from NE10 institutions) - $2
Children under 5: Free
Per Conference policy, no other complimentary admissions will be issued.
How to Follow Along
If you prefer to follow the action from home, from work or from elsewhere, live results will be available here: Live Results.
Up Next
This weekend's meet serves to cap the NE10 indoor track season. The Ravens may send select individuals to Boston University next weekend for the Last Chance Meet on Feb. 25. The meet is named as such, because it represents the final opportunity for student-athletes to post marks to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Arlabosse is currently ranked 26th in the nation in the 800 meters, while Quinn is in a tie for 27th in the weight throw. Generally speaking, the top 16 competitors in each event at the end of the season earn selection to the NCAA Championships, so both have work left to do if they wish to extend their season.
The NCAA Championships are set for March 9-10, and will be hosted by Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kan. NCAA selections will be announced on ncaa.com on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 27.
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 & field apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).