The Stevens Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams took to the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island on Saturday for the Big Apple Invitational — and both squads turned in impressive performances against a stacked field of colleges and clubs.
Women Shine with Multiple Top Finishes
The Women’s team collected several standout results throughout the day. In the pole vault, seniors Stephanie Ryazanova and Alexis Merola soared to identical marks of 2.95 meters, with Ryazanova edging Merola for second place by clearing the bar in fewer attempts. Their strong showing helped anchor the Ducks’ efforts on the field.
In the high jump, senior Maggie Previglian tied for third overall—the top non-Division I finisher—competing shoulder-to-shoulder with athletes from St. John’s and Fordham. Meanwhile, junior throwers Anacarolina Ventura and Claire Deatrick battled in the weight throw, with Deatrick setting a new personal record at 12.68 meters.
Senior sprinter Lauren Alley also made headlines with a personal best in the 400 meters, crossing in 1:00.74 — the fifth-fastest time in program history, and the third-fastest since 2019. Her performance helped highlight the breadth of Stevens’ talent in both track and field events.
Men’s Side Makes Its Mark
The Men’s team matched the women’s high level of success with a day filled with personal records and top finishes.
On the track, senior Danny Jutras led the way with a second-place finish in the mile, setting a new personal best of 4:19.24 — shaving more than a second off his previous time and climbing toward the program’s top marks. Sophomore Enrico Parrella also ran well, finishing fifth in the event.
In the 400 meters, first-year Steven Longo clocked a 51.24, not only a personal best but also the ninth-fastest performance in Stevens history. The Ducks also had strong showings in the 800 meters, with sophomore Matthew Hodorowski and first-year Christopher Reyes both running in the Top 10.
The field events were equally strong: sophomore William Ladd leapt to second in the high jump, first-year Konstantinos Georgiadis and junior Justin Gajewski finished fourth and fifth in the triple jump, and the pole vault saw a tight pack of Stevens athletes finishing fourth through sixth.
What This Means for the Ducks
Both teams demonstrated depth and potential as they continued their indoor seasons. With personal bests, program-record performances, and multiple top-three finishes, Stevens showed it’s capable of competing with larger colleges and elite clubs at meets like the Big Apple Invitational.
The Ducks now turn their focus north and east, with upcoming competitions at the Boston University-hosted David Hemery Valentine Invitational and the Widener Indoor Classic later next weekend.
