Jan. 7, 2005

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - After a record-setting winter and spring in 2004, the Marist College men's track team is looking to raise the bar even higher for 2005.

The team will miss the groundbreaking performances of graduated captains Eli Bisnett-Cobb and Adam Waterbury. The 2004 graduates combined to set, tie or break more than 40 school records in their illustrious careers in the field and on the track. A team with an equal mix of young talent and veteran leadership will take to the track this year with aims of breaking more records and qualifying for championship meets during the winter and spring seasons.

Middle Distance

A strong core of middle distance and long sprinters lead the way. Sophomores Brian DeMarco and Mike Bamberger combined on more than a dozen school records in their first year with the Red Foxes. DeMarco will race the sprint and middle-distance events. Bamberger will be a middle distance specialist. Both are key cogs to the Red Foxes' relay efforts in both seasons.

Bamberger will be reunited with his Northport High School teammate Bryan Quinn. Quinn, a sophomore, transferred from the University of Connecticut and will be a key member of the middle distance and relay squad. Under the watchful eye of their coach at Northport, Marist alum Tim Dearie, Quinn and Bamberger were part of the Penn Relays champion distance medley relay team. The duo hopes to propel the Marist distance medley, 4x800 and 4x400 relays to new heights this season.

Sprints

The sprinting corps continues to grow under the guidance of assistant coach Adam Pakiela will lead a young group of hard-working sprinters as they attempt to rewrite the school record book.

Freshman Shaun Kippins may turn out to be the hardest-working member of the squad. Along with participating in sprints, long sprints and relays, he will also compete in the long jump and triple jump. Junior Rob DeAngelo, a multiple school record holder, will be busy in the hurdles and sprints as well. He will be joined on the straightaways by talented sophomore Matt Williams.

The sprint crew welcomes several other newcomers, including sophomore transfer Pat Carroll, who competed at Springfield College last year. Carroll, a pentathlete in high school, will focus on sprints, relays and intermediate hurdles at Marist. David Snell, a junior who played football in the fall, will bolster the short sprint team. Freshman hurdler and jumper Nick Giacomo adds depth to the squad.

Distance

The distance crew once again features a deep pool of runners. During the past two spring seasons, two athletes have qualified for the U.S. Junior Championships in the 10,000 meters: junior Justin Harris in 2003 and sophomore Mark Fernandez in 2004. Both return and will focus on long distance events and the 3,000 steeplechase.

Freshmen Brandon Cartica, Mike Rolek and Teddy Marak attempt to keep the U.S. Juniors tradition going by aiming for qualifying marks. They will be guided by the senior leadership of captains Geoff Decker and Sean Hopkins as well as their classmate Steve Hicks. That trio led the cross country team to third-place finishes at the MAAC Championships and Metropolitan Championships during the 2004 fall season.

Throws

Senior Michael Curran, the top javelin thrower in school history, returns for his fourth and final season with the Red Foxes. Curran, who set the school record with a 62.69-meter toss en route to winning the 2003 MAAC title, repeated as conference champion in 2004 with an event-record 60.90-meter toss. Senior Clayton Berry and junior Bryan VanSteenburgen also return to round out the Marist throwing corps.

The Red Foxes open the indoor track schedule Friday, Jan. 7 at the Ram 10-Way Invitational, hosted by Fordham at the New York City Armory.