The Central Connecticut State University men's indoor track
& field team was selected fifth in the Northeast Conference
Preseason Coaches' Poll, released today. The Blue Devils finished
fourth out of 12 teams at last year's NEC Indoor Track & Field
Championships. It was the best finish by CCSU since joining the
league in 1998.
Monmouth, runners-up at each of the last two NEC
Championships, was selected to finish first by the coaches,
receiving eight first place votes. The Hawks were followed in the
poll by Long Island and last year's champion, St. Francis (PA).
The latter received two first place votes, while Sacred Heart
garnered the final first place nod and finished fourth in the
poll.
Directly after CCSU was Mount St. Mary's, Robert Morris and
Bryant in sixth, seventh and eighth place, respectively. Fairleigh
Dickinson, Wagner and St. Francis (NY) rounded out the 11 team
poll, as they were slotted in ninth, 10th and 11th.
The Blue Devils return all but two top ten finishers at last
year's NEC Championships. Senior Ry Sanderson won the 5,000
meters and placed third in the 3,000 to lead Central to its fourth
place finish at last year's meet. After taking the cross country
season off, he will back this winter to help CCSU improve on last
year's fantastic finish.
Senior R.J. Simeone was the only
other Blue Devil to score individual points on the track at last
year's championship, placing fourth in the 500 meters. A healthy
group of young jumpers return this winter for CCSU. Sophomores Matt
Berube and Nick Trifone, as well as
junior Eric Rathbun all finished in
the top ten in the high jump at last year's NEC Championships,
while Berube and Rathbun also placed in the long and triple jump,
respectively.
Central Connecticut's first meet of the season will be at the
Yale Invitational on Saturday, January 9.