Feb. 19, 2009

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's track & field teams will be traveling to Boston University this weekend to compete in the America East Indoor Track & Field Championships. The Seawolves claimed three titles at last year's championship and are in position to improve upon that mark this season.

"The women's team isn't quite as deep as previous years due to injuries," said head coach Andy Ronan, "but individually, our expectations are high."

Leading the women's team this weekend will be sophomore Lucy Van Dalen (Wanganui, New Zealand). Van Dalen has had a remarkable indoor season, setting school records in three-consecutive meets in three different distances. She will be competing in both the 1,000-meter and the mile.

Junior Laura Huet (Carrickmines, Ireland) finished second in last year's 3,000-meter run by just three seconds and is expected to be near the top again in the three and 5K. Joining her in the 5,000-meter will be junior Jacquie Kehoe (Katonah, N.Y.) and freshman Hayley Green (Wellington, New Zealand) both of whom Ronan thinks could pick up points for the Seawolves with top-eight finishes.

Senior Rosanna Peralta (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) and freshman Justine Noel (Brooklyn, N.Y.) could post top-five finishes in the 500-meter while sophomore Carolina Cortes (Woodmere, N.Y.) will be looking to improve her seventh place finish last year in the 1,000-meter.

"We are a young group," said Ronan, "so this weekend could go either way for us. If the women can handle being on the big stage for two days, I think we could really surprise some people."

Senior Merlon Pinnock (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) is the hottest runner on the men's team entering the championship, breaking the school record in the 400-meter last weekend and posting personal bests in his two previous meets.

Stony Brook's big three in the distance events - juniors Daire Bermingham (Portmarnock, Ireland), Alex Felce (Stroud, England) and Tim Hodge (Tawa, New Zealand) - all have the opportunity to win their respective races, according to Ronan. Bermingham will be competing in the mile, Felce in the 1,000-meter and Hodge will be going for his third-consecutive America East title in the 3,000-meter. The Seawolves will be looking to repeat as the Distance Medley Relay champions as well.

The men's team also hopes to pick up points with senior Gary Chan (Flushing, N.Y.) in the 1,000-meter, freshman Gerard Harley (Setauket, N.Y.) in the 3,000-meter and freshman David Frankel (Woodbury, N.Y.) in the 5,000-meter.

"The men's team lost a lot of big scorers to graduation last season," said Ronan, "so this is a bit of a transition year for us. Obviously, we are going there to win, but if we can walk out of there with personal best times, I'll consider it a successful weekend."