HOOKSET, N.H. (5/6/23) – To say the least, everyone on the Franklin Pierce outdoor track and field team saved the best for last at the 2023 NE10 Outdoor Championships at Southern New Hampshire, as the Pierce men claimed runner-up out of nine participating programs, while the women took 4th out of 10 at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium.

Day one saw a total of three individual gold medalists, as well as a winning performance from the men's 4x800-Meter Relay group. For the men, senior Connor Everdige (Baldwinville, Mass.) claimed his second victory in the Hammer Throw this outdoor season, earning his first ever Championship title in the event with a mark of 52.80 meters. Junior Wondu Summa (Burlington, Vt.) joined him on the podium as the Men's 10,000-Meter champion, completing the race in 31.39.83 for his first ever NE10 individual title. The winning Raven relay was none other than the Men's 4x800-Meter, who placed 1st of eight with a time of 7:48.50. The first day also saw one Pierce women's champion, as freshman Elizabeth Jones (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) took the win in the Women's Pole Vault after clearing a height of 3.15 meters.

A program record was also broken on Friday afternoon, with junior Brogan Bonsaint (Somersworth, N.H.) hitting a mark of 59.60 meters in the Men's Javelin, additionally notching NCAA Championship standards with the performance.

Day two saw another batch of top finishers  for the Ravens, beginning with Discus champion Katerina Dajia (Aurora, Ontario) who hurled a distance of 39.82 meters. Senior Nyjah Young-Bey (Montclair, N.J) joined the mix as the individual champion in the Women's 400-Meter, completing the track with a 54.51 NCAA Championship standard time. For the men's side, junior Ryan Walker (Seabrook, N.H.) was the champion in the 800-Meter, finishing with a 1:52.29 race time, while Wondu Summa returned as the winner of the 5,000-Meter (15:24.97).

For his efforts through the two days of the event, Summa was tabbed as the NE10's Most Valuable Athlete, becoming the first member in program history to do so. In total, the Ravens finished with seven individual champions, two NCAA Standard finishers, and 28 personal records.

PIERCE PLUS PERFORMERS: MEN'S

• Junior Stephen Harris (Billerica, Mass.) took 8th in the 100-Meter preliminaries (10.98), 6th in the 200-Meter preliminaries (21.87), 7th in the High Jump (1.83m)
• Senior Devin Jones (Manchester, N.H.) placed 6th in the 100-Meter finals (10.84)
• Junior Nathan Rinaldi (Bristol, Conn.) placed 6th in the 400-Meter finals (49.77)
• Junior Ryan Walker won the 800-Meter finals (1:52.29)
• Junior Wondu Summa won the 10,000-Meter (31:39.83), won the 5,000-meter (15:24.97), was runner-up in the 1500-Meter Run (3:57.68)
• Junior Evan McNeice (Wethersfield, Conn.) finished 3rd in the 1500-Meter Run (3:59.17)
• Senior Sebastien Vicary (Ulceby, United Kingdom) took 3rd in the 10,000-Meter (31.48.33), runner-up in 5,000-meter (15:28.81)
• Senior Riley Fenoff (Danville, Vt.) placed 4th in the 5,000-meter (15:30.48)
• Junior Tad Darrah (Thetford, Vt.) claimed 6th in the 10,000-Meter (32:19.21), 8th in the 5,000-Meter (15:46.21)
• Junior Ryan Outerbridge (Paget, Bermuda) snagged runner-up in the 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (9:43.05)
• Junior Janvier Ntakirutimana (Burlington, Vt.) finished 8th in the 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (10:23.10)
• The Men's 4x800-Meter Relay (Ryan Walker, Evan McNeice, Riley Fenoff, Ryan Outerbridge) claimed the win as 1st of eight teams (7:48.50)
• The Men's 4x100-Meter Relay (Angel Gonzalez, Devin Jones, Lalo Lopez, Stephen Harris) took runner-up (41.70)
• Junior Connor Nordman (Bethel, Conn.) claimed 5th in the Pole Vault (3.85m)
• Senior Connor Everidge won the Hammer Throw (52.80), placed 7th in the Shot Put (14.88m)
• Senior Salvatore Lando (Sterling, Mass.) finished 7th in the Hammer Throw (46.90m), 9th in the Shot Put (14.06m), 6th in the Discus Throw (40.67m)
• Freshman Ben Gilbert (Windsor, Vt.) claimed 10th in the Shot Put (12.52m), 9th in the Discus Throw (38.78m)
• Junior Brogan Bonsaint took 3rd in the Javelin Throw (59.60m – NPR – NCAA*)

PIERCE PLUS PERFORMERS: WOMEN'S

• Senior Nyjah Young-Bey won the 400-Meter finals (54.51 - NCAA*), finished runner-up in the 200-Meter finals (24.75)
• Senior Alana Thompson (Westhampton, N.J.) placed 8th in the 1500-Meter Run (4:53.58)
• Junior Meghan Sheline (Southington, Conn.) took 8th in the 5,000-Meter (19:13.62)
• Sophomore Jasmine Baillargeon (South Wheelock, Vt.) claimed 7th in the 10,000-Meter Run (43:51.76)
• Senior Victoria Van Houten (Wantage, N.J.) placed 7th in the 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (12:21.69)
• The Women's 4x400-Meter Relay (Briahna Bouchard, Nyjah Young-Bey, Alana Thompson, Saylee Missell) placed 4th overall (4:06.57)
• The Women's 4x800-Meter Relay (Saylee Missell, Alena Masterson, Meghan Sheline, Alana Thompson) claimed 3rd of eight teams (9:43.33)
• Freshman Mackenzie Luth (Groton, Mass.) tied for 7th in the High Jump (1.52m)
• Freshman Elizabeth Jones won the Pole Vault (3.15m)
• Junior Teresa Deasy (Smithtown, N.Y.) claimed 3rd in the Pole Vault (2.85m)
• Junior Tyra Felton (Sterling, Mass.) finished 4th in the Hammer Throw (45.02m), runner up in the Shot Put (12.18m)
• Freshman Emily Nhun (Biddeford, Maine) claimed 6th in the Shot Put (11.47m)
• Graduate Katerina Dajia won the Discus Throw (39.82m)

The stage grows larger for Outdoor Track & Field, with the upcoming NEICAAA Championships on May 12th & 13th at Northeastern University.