GORHAM, Maine (12/10/22) – The Franklin Pierce University men's and women's indoor track & field teams continued their 2022-23 campaign with second place finishes at the University of Southern Maine Season Opener on Saturday afternoon.

Both the men's and women's finished behind host Southern Maine, scoring 187 and 144 points respectively as teams. Both teams also finished ahead of Saint Joseph's (Maine), while the Women also bested University of Maine-Augusta.

Junior Stephen Harris (Billerica, Mass.) highlighted the event for the men's side with first place finishes in both the 55-Meter and 300-Meter Dashes, setting a new program-record time in the 55-Meter (6.56). Harris was the previous owner of 55-Meter record, which was set at the NE10 Championship meet last season. In the Men's 1-Mile, junior Ryan Walker led the way with a first overall finish, ahead of what would be a clean Pierce sweep of the top five finishers. On the women's side, senior Nyjah Young-Bey (Montclair, N.J.) also took the win in the 55-meter dash (7.43) as well as the women's 500-meter (1:18.29). As the top scoring finisher in the women's 1000-meter, graduate Alena Masterson (Pelham, N.H.) bested the competition with a finishing time of 3:15.61.

PIERCE PLUS PERFORMERS – MEN:

• Junior Stephen Harris claimed 1^st in the 55-Meter (6.56) and the 300-Meter Dash (35.10).
• Junior Ryan Walker scored 1^st in both the 1-Mile Run (4:31.73) and the 3000-Meter Run (9:07.50)
• Junior Thomas Darrah (Thetford, Vt.) placed first in the 1000-Meter (2:43.39) and second in the 1-Mile Run (4:33.05).
• Junior Angel Gonzalez (North Andover, Mass.) claimed second in the Men's 200-Meter (24.13) and fourth in the Men's 55-Meter Dash (6.76)  
• Freshman Lalo Lopez (Naugatuck, Conn.) finished second in the 300-Meter (36.11)
• Senior Connor Everidge (Baldwinville, Mass.) placed first in the Men's Shotput (15.21m)
• Junior Salvatore Lando (Sterling, Mass.) placed second in the Men's Shotput (14.16m)
• Junior Connor Nordman (Bethel, Conn.) placed third in the Men's Pole Vault (4.00m)

PIERCE PLUS PERFORMERS – WOMEN:

• Senior Nyjah Young-Bey placed first overall in the Women's 55-Meter Dash (7.43) and the Women's 500-Meter Run (1:18.29).
• Graduate Alena Masterson won the Women's 1000-Meter Run (3:15.61)  
• Brianha Bouchard finished first overall in the Women's 55-Meter Hurdles (9.16)
• Junior Meghan Sheline (Southington, Conn.) finished second in the Women's 5000-Meter Run (19:25.89)
• Sophomore Teresa Deasy (Smithtown, N.Y.) placed second in the Women's Pole Vault (2.70m).
• Freshman Jennifer Kulick (Goffstown, N.H.) placed second in the Women's Triple Jump (10.29).
• Junior Tyra Felton (Sterling, Mass.) placed first in the Women's Shotput (11.39m) and second in the Women's Weight Throw (13.51m).

Both teams will take a pause for the upcoming holiday break, and return to action once again at the University of Southern Maine for the USM Open II on January 7^th.