NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Stony Brook University men's track and field team opened their indoor season at the Rutgers Holiday Classic hosted by Rutgers on Friday at Armory Track in New York City.
 
Graduate Colin Ross earned Stony Brook's only first-place finish of the day in the 5000 meter event. The graduate transfer from Davidson finished with a time of 14:54.27.
 
Sophomores Steven Struk and Michael Fama finished directly behind Ross in second and third, respectively, rounding out the podium for the Seawolves. Struk finished in 14:55.38 and Fama set a new personal best with a time of 15:01.37.
 
Freshman Aleksander Micich completed his collegiate debut with a pair of top 10 finishes. Micich secured a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a final mark of 7.00m and an eighth-place finish in the 60 meter dash with a final time of 7.04.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Ross earned Stony Brook's only first-place finish of the day in the 5000 meter with a time of 14:54.27.
• Struk and  Fama finished directly behind Ross in second and third, respectively, rounding out the podium for the Seawolves. Struk finished in 14:55.38 and Fama set a new personal best with a time of 15:01.37.
• Sophomore Dolapo Babalola crossed the line in 8.57 to secure a new personal record and a seventh-place finish in the 60 meter hurdles.
• Sophomore Darnell Paul finished earned a ninth-place finish in the shot put event. He delivered a personal best of 14.22 meters.
• Stony Brook had three student-athletes finish in the top 10 in the men's long jump. Micich came in fourth with a 7.00 meter jump, junior Alex Kanes finished in seventh with a 6.66 meter jump and junior Gavin Da Vanzo finished in ninth with a 6.52 meter jump. Kanes and Da Vanzo both set new person records.
• Sophomores Justin Vazquez and Nicolas Lavazoli both finished in the top 10 in the 300 meter. Vazquez (35.35) finished in seventh and Lavazoli (35.45) finished directly behind in eighth.
• Freshman Eli Rathburn made his collegiate debut in the 600 meter and earned a sixth-place finish with a final time of 1:25.45.
• Freshman John Fontanez completed his first collegiate race with an 11^th place finish in the 3000m with a final time of 8:52.44.

 
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"Our track and field group got an opportunity to compete today after many weeks of training. It was a typical first meet of the season, we saw a little bit of everything, but overall, we had more positive performances than poor ones. Work to be done but excited about what the season ahead may bring," said head coach Andy Ronan.
 
NEXT UP
The Seawolves are back in action in the new year when they travel to Staten Island to compete in the Wagner Invite at Ocean Breeze on Friday, January 6.