May 2, 2011

NEW HAVEN, CT - Sophomore hurdler Michael Clifford (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) ran the second-fastest time in school history in the 400-meter intermediate hurdle event, leading the Marist College men's track team at the Yale Springtime Invitational on Sunday afternoon.

Clifford improved on his personal-best time by close to two seconds, placing eighth in 56.39 seconds. The time was just .06 slower than the 1999 school record of 56.33 in the event, set by Matt McClellan. Clifford's race highlighted a day filled with season- and personal-best performances.

In the field events, freshmen Jesse Aprile (Yorktown, N.Y.) (long jump) and John Akey (Metuchen, N.J.) (javelin) both earned personal-best marks. Aprile had a ninth-place leap of 6.40 meters. Akey had an eighth-place toss of 41.54 meters.

Aprile also added a personal-best mark in the 200-meter dash (23.17 seconds), and he was part of the season-best 400-meter relay team of Darren Bushey (Pittsfield, Mass.), Aprile, Michael McCloskey (Latham, N.Y.) and Connor Dodge (North Tanawanda, N.Y.) that ran 43.98 seconds.

Also on the track, sophomore Chris Vanzetta (Latham, N.Y.) had a personal-best performance in the 800-meter run, placing eighth in 1:55.83. Sophomore Phil Krupka (Allentown, Pa.) had a season-best time of 51.26 seconds in the 400-meter run, placing ninth.

Sophomore Billy Posch (Wantagh, N.Y.) was the top finisher on the day, getting second place in the 5,000-meter run (15:06.02). Sophomore Will Schanz (Latham, N.Y.) (16:05.28) and freshman Billy Hild (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) (16:07.81) earned personal-best times in the event.

The track team returns to action Friday with a partial squad at the Matthew Vassar Invitational at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. The MAAC Championships follow on Saturday and Sunday at Rider University.

Yale Springtime Invitational
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Men's results

100-meter dash

15. Mike McCloskey 11.54

17. Darren Bushey 11.63 (season best)

25. Neal Viets 12.31

200-meter dash

19. Jesse Aprile 23.17 (season best)

26. Phil Krupka 23.53 (season best)

32. Darren Bushey 23.81 (season best)

400-meter dash

9. Phil Krupka 51.26 (season best)

18. Dan Conklin 53.18 (season best)

19. Chris Coscio 53.31

21. Andrew James 54.01

800-meter run

8. Chris Vanzetta 1:55.83 (season best)

18. Matt Panebianco 1:58.60

27. Kyle Havard 2:00.27

32. Danny Mendoza 2:01.97 (season best)

1,500-meter run

17. Sam McMullen 4:05.82 (season best)

25. Ben Windisch 4:09.82

31. Pat Duggan 4:13.91

40. Ryan Fitzsimons 4:25.71

5,000-meter run

2. Billy Posch 15:06.02

12. Michael Keegan 15:35.60

14. Brian Townsend 15:42.53

21. Kevin O'Sullivan 15:55.29 (season best)

23. Will Schanz 16:05.28 (season best)

25. Billy Hild 16:07.81 (season best)

27. Ryan Brown 16:12.38

34. Isaiah Miller 16:22.56

38. Doug Ainscow 16:41.61

3,000-meter steeplechase

7. Nick Hughes 10:17.36

400-meter hurdles

8. Mike Clifford 56.39 (season best)

400-meter relay

5. Marist (Darren Bushey, Jesse Aprile, Mike McCloskey, Connor Dodge) 43.98 (season best)

1,600-meter relay

7. Marist 3:29.74

Long jump

9. Jesse Aprile 6.40 meters (season best)

Javelin

8. Jake Akey 41.54 meters (season best)