WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ---Freshman Michael Curran (Shelton, CT) burst on to the collegiate track and field scene with a school record and IC4A qualifying mark in the javelin to lead the Marist College men's track team at the Monmouth University Invitational, held on an extremely windy and cold Saturday afternoon on the Jersey Shore.

Curran placed second in the javelin with a toss of 60.80 meters (199 feet, 6 inches). The mark eclipses the 31-year-old old school record set by Hank Blum in 1971 (195-0). Curran also is the first IC4A field event qualifier in school history and also holds the distinction of being the earliest IC4A qualifier in school history. In addition, Curran is the first Marist freshman to qualify for the IC4A Championships, which will be held May 18-20 at Princeton University.

Curran, a USA Track and Field Junior National All-America in 2001 and runner-up at Junior Nationals, placed second on Saturday to defending USATF Junior National Champion Robert Smith, now a freshman at Monmouth. Smith won with a toss of 65.24 meters (214-0). Curran's teammate and freshman classmate Taylor Twist (Smithfield, RI) also had a strong collegiate debut. Twist placed fourth overall with a throw of 50.38 meters (165-3).

In was a solid day in the throwing area for the Red Foxes, as sophomore Adam Waterbury (Wallingford, CT) tied his outdoor school record in the shot put by placing 10th with a throw of 13.82 meters (45-4.25). Waterbury also earned personal-best distances in the discus (42.32 meters/138-10) and hammer (40.24/132-0).

On the track, junior Christopher McCloskey (Hopewell Junction, NY) led the distance crew with a fourth-place finish in the 1,500-meter run and a sixth in the 800 run. Freshmen Christopher Camp (Ballston Lake, NY) and Sean Hopkins (Brookhaven Village, NY) earned personal-best times in the 10,000-meter run.

The men's track team returns to action, after spring break and Easter break, at the Sam Howell Invitational at Princeton University on April 5-6.