PREVIEW: Franklin Pierce Track & Field Headed for NEICAAA Championships
RINDGE, N.H. (January 31, 2020) – The Franklin Pierce University track & field program hurtles headlong into championship season this weekend, as the indoor season begins to reach its crescendo. On Friday and Saturday, the team will send select individuals to the NEICAAA Championships, to be held at the Reggie Lewis Track & Field Center in Boston. The 52nd annual New England Championships will feature preliminary heats on Friday, to be followed by event finals on Saturday.
The Ravens have a strong history in the event, for a program which is in just its eighth season of competition. Combined over the indoor and outdoor seasons, Franklin Pierce has collected 63 All-New England finishes and nine New England titles over the program’s first seven years of existence. The top eight finishers in each event earn All-New England status.
Men
Croix Albee -- shot put
Hugo Arlabosse -- 800 meters
Riley Fenoff -- 3000 meters
Trevor Guay -- 400 meters
William Rawson -- 3000 meters
Jason Reed -- 5000 meters
4x400-meter relay
For the men’s team, the entrant list is highlighted by junior Hugo Arlabosse (Marseille, France) who is the top seed in the 800 meters. He heads into the NEICAAA Championships with the nation’s fastest Division II time in the event, and has already punched his ticket to March’s NCAA Championships. Arlabosse has already claimed a pair of outdoor New England titles in the 800 meters and is searching his indoor crown. His predecessor in the 800, current assistant coach Dage Minors ’17, owns the men’s team’s only previous indoor New England title.
The Ravens also expect a strong performance from senior Trevor Guay (Londonderry, N.H.), as he begins to wrap up the indoor portion of his collegiate career. Guay is the sixth seed, and the second-ranked Division II runner, in the 400 meters, and will have his eyes set on his fourth career All-New England honor. Graduate student William Rawson (Atherton, England) may also contend for All-New England accolades, as he is ranked 12th in the 3000 meters.
All-time, combining both indoor and outdoor accomplishments, the men’s program has earned 47 All-New England honors and four New England titles.
Women
Paola Brena -- high jump
Katey Comstock -- shot put
Julia Cormier -- 5000 meters
Julieth Nwosu -- shot put
Alana Thompson -- 800 meters
Nyjah Young-Bey -- 200 meters, 400 meters
4x400-meter relay
4x800-meter relay
Meanwhile, the women will send one of the program’s largest contingents ever to New Englands, with six individuals qualifying for seven events and a pair of relay teams competing as well. The brightest spot for the women is sophomore Paola Brena (Queretaro, Mexico) who is the second seed in the high jump and currently leads the country in the event at the Division II level. She will have her eyes on her first career New England title and should have little trouble locking up her second career All-New England finish.
Freshman Nyjah Young-Bey (Montclair, N.J.) is the lone Raven who will be doubling up this weekend, as she will compete in both the 200 meters and the 400 meters, and is a threat to earn All-New England honors in both. She heads into the meet as the ninth seed in the 400 and is ranked 10th in the 200. Elsewhere, freshman Julieth Nwosu (Brockton, Mass.) should contend for All-New England accolades in the shot put, where she is ranked seventh.
All-time, across the indoor and outdoor seasons, the women’s program has 16 All-New England performances and five New England titles to its credit.
For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). 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’ brand new online store (https://www.shopfpuravens.com).