On Saturday, February 24, and Sunday, February 25, The Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams competed in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championships at the Alvernia’s Tom & Helen Flynn Complex in Reading, PA. Ultimately, the men’s team took third place, and the women’s team took second place due to notable strong performances from athletes such as Laura Mathews and Brandon Kiefer.
The opening day set the stage for what would become a memorable championship for both of the teams. Graduate student Mathews was a standout performer for the women’s team, clinching the long jump title with a leap of 5.62 meters and playing a crucial role in the 4×200-meter relay victory. Mathews’ leg of the race took only 24.23 seconds, and alongside junior Allie Canciani, sophomore Stephanie Ryazanova, and first-year Isabella Shanley, the team finished the race in a new program record of 1:45.87. The Ducks secured second place after the first day with 36 points, trailing behind Widener’s 52. Other notable performances included the distance medley relay squad’s second-place finish with a time of 12:42.98 and sophomore Alexis Merola’s 3.35-meter personal best in the pole vault.
The men’s team also had their moments of glory on the first day, with the distance medley relay team, consisting of graduate student Ronnie Melao, sophomores Mick Barbi and Danny Jutras, and senior Jake Aylmer, capturing first place with a time of 10:19.72. This victory contributed to the team’s sixth-place standing with 14 points at the end of the day. Notable individual performances included senior Federico Yacoubian’s personal best in the 60-meter hurdles, securing him the third seed for the finals, and sophomore Brandon Kiefer’s strong start in the heptathlon, setting him up for success on the following day.
The second day was where Stevens truly shined, with both teams delivering exceptional performances. Kiefer led the men’s team by repeating as heptathlon champion and adding a silver medal in the pole vault, culminating in the Ducks’ third-place finish overall with 79.5 points. The team medaled in six of the 14 events, demonstrating versatility across the board. Noteworthy achievements included Melao’s bronze in the mile with a time of 4:21.31, senior Liam Concannon’s third-place finish and first indoor medal in the 3,000 meters at 8:48.54, and Yacoubian’s first indoor medal with a second-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.41. In the end, the men’s team finished in third with 79.5 points, finishing three spots higher than they did last year.
For the women’s team, Mathews continued her dominance, winning both the 200-meter dash and the 60-meter hurdles, with times of 24.96 and 8.59, respectively. Her contributions were instrumental in the team’s second-place finish, as she gave the team 38 individual points and ten points in relays and went on to be named the Track Athlete of the Meet. The team had 129.5 points to finish the meet, which is the team’s highest total at the MAC Indoor Championships, and medaled in ten events. Additional highlights included junior Caroline Tighe’s high jump title, clearing 1.61 meters, graduate student Kristen Williams’ silver in the 60-meter hurdles, and the 4×800-meter relay team’s silver medal.
The Ducks’ performance at the MAC Championships was a testament to their hard work, dedication, and talent. With athletes setting personal and program records, the weekend was a celebration of Stevens’ Track and Field excellence.
