Sacred Heart University’s very own women’s track and field team raced off to Staten Island and took the podium.
The 2023 Northeast Conference (NEC) Indoor Track & Field Championships commenced the weekend of Feb. 18 where the women placed fourth.
“I thought we had a really good championship,” said head coach Christian Morrison. “The team brought a lot of energy and positivity to the competition. We got on a good roll early on and kept it going. This allowed us to finish higher in the team standings than most people were expecting.”
By placing fourth, the team exceeded their predictions for this season which placed them in great spirits.
“I felt the team did a great job last weekend,” said sophomore Jenna Engels. “I am proud to have placed fourth after being ranked fifth in the preseason poll.”
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Freshman jumpers Maggie Brogioli (left) and Ava Coscia (right) pose for a picture after a Northeast Conference meet.
One of the stars during their championship weekend was freshman Magdalena “Maggie” Brogioli. The first year won NEC “Rookie of the Meet” after finishing second in the high jump and fourth in the 60 meter hurdles.
“I was happy with my performance in high jump, placing second and jumping a season’s best,” said Brogioli. “Receiving this title was rewarding, it reminded me that all the hard work I’ve put into practice has been paying off and motivated me to continue working hard through the outdoor season.”
The rookie’s teammates believe she has been a great addition to the Pioneers early in her collegiate career. Her teammates feel that this title is well-deserved for Brogioli.
“Not only is she a great asset to the team, but she is a leader as well,” said senior Kaylee Stenderowicz. “The future of the team will be bright with her leading the way.”
Engels had a great weekend of her own, as well. She placed second in the pole vault, setting a new personal record of 3.56 meters.
“I am very proud of my performance this weekend as I have been progressing throughout the entire season, trying to hit a 3.66 meter bar,” said Engels. “It was a tough competition, but I am proud of how I fought for the higher bars.”
The Pioneers tended to favor the pole vault competition with four participants placing in the top six. The pole vault is one of the team’s main focuses.
“The pole vault tends to be a weak event in the Northeast Conference, historically speaking,” said Morrison. “I’ve worked to recruit talented pole vaulters, so we can exploit this weakness. This approach definitely worked to our advantage in this championship.”
Stenderowicz’s weekend was also successful, placing third in long jump and second in the triple jump.
“I was happy to finally get on the podium for long jump on day 1 which created good energy going into day 2,” said Stenderowicz. “I was aiming for a first-place finish in triple jump, which I’ll be striving for during outdoor.”
Having done well at the NEC Championship, the team ended their indoor season the weekend of March 3-5 at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship.
Sacred Heart Athletics contributed to this article.
