Hawks in record-setting mood at the NEC track meet
By tim morris
Staff Writer

Jon Kalnas added the Northeast Conference championship to his impressive 2002 résumé.

The senior of Monmouth University, West Long Branch, who is undefeated throwing the shot put this winter and already a winner at the prestigious Milrose Games, set a school and meet record in capturing the men’s NEC title. Kalnas lofted the shot put 63-2 1/2 (19.26 meters) in successfully defending his NEC indoor track title. He set the meet record last year when he threw the 16-pound iron ball 18.75 meters.

Kalnas is the only Hawk to have earned an automatic qualifying mark for the NCAA Division I indoor championships, coming up in Fayetteville, Ark., on March 8-9. His teammate, junior Gary Roskoski, was third (53-2 3/4). Kalnas’ win was one of four victories scored by the Hawk men at the NEC as Monmouth placed second to St. Francis University (Pennsylvania), 158.5-138.5. The NEC championships were held at the Prince George Sports Complex in Landover, Md.

Kris Landers was also in record-setting form in Maryland as the Hawk sophomore posted a meet record 1:52.59 win in the 800 meters. That bettered the old meet record of 1:53.71 set by Daniel Kinyua of Mount St. Mary’s in 1998.

Dexter Contee was the third Hawk individual champion, and he set a new school record in taking the 200-meter dash. Contee was first across the line in 22.01.

Monmouth’s fourth title was earned by the distance medley team of Landers, Justo Rodriguez, Curtis Akacki and Justin Ward. They combined to set another meet record for the Hawks, 10:16.9. They just dipped under the old mark of 10:17.14 set by Fairleigh Dickinson, Madison, in 2001. Landers ran the opening 1,200-meter leg, followed by the 400 leg of Rodriguez. Akacki took the baton for the 800, and Ward, fifth in the men’s 1,600 (4:17.82), ran the anchor leg.

The Hawk men were very strong in the 60-meter hurdles as Jared Craig (8.25), Bill Hortz (8.38), Dan Unkel (8.44) and Michael Socha (8.49) finished second, third, fifth and seventh. Craig pushed 2001 winner and meet record holder Morgan Lisby of Mount St. Mary’s to a new record for the hurdles as both finished under his 2001 record of 8.34. Lisby ran an 8.14 this time and Craig, 8.25.

Also scoring in the sprints for Monmouth were Rayan Speid, second in the 400 (48.59), and Bobby York, fourth in the 500 (1:02.26).

Nick Pellegrino helped the Hawks in the distance races with a fourth place in the 3,000 (8:38.17) and a sixth in the 5,000 (14:58.8).

The weight throw was a strong event for the Hawks also as Hazem Ibrahim (54-6 3/4), Roskoski (51-10), Mike Allen (49-7 3/4) and Chris Paling (48-9) were second, third, fifth and sixth.

Monmouth’s women were third at the NEC with 77 points. They trailed Long Island University (128) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore (84).

The Hawk women were led by Lisa Ricciardelli, who scored 16 points. The senior turned in a meet record 10-8 in the pole vault. She topped the mark set last year by Robert Morris University’s Jessica Copper of 10-4.

Ricciardelli picked up a third place in the weight throw (47-1 3/4) for her other six points. Teammate Lauren Webb was second to host UMBC’s Cleopatra Borel, 59-2 to 50-0.

Other highlights for the women were the second place of freshman Suraya Kornegay in the 500 meters (1:17.0) and a third place by Talitha Vicker in the triple jump (36-10). Kornegay lost at the line by just .01 to LIU’s Patricia Metzger (1:16.99) in the 500.