After successfully opening up their spring season at West Point, NY for the Army Dick Shea Open last weekend, the Spartan men and women traveled to the University of Pennsylvania Invitational on Saturday, April 2nd where they continued to eat up the track.
 
Most of the sprinting squad took advantage of the calm, warmer spring weather in order to set some lifetime records.  Freshman Caroline Bjorkman was one of those athletes, shaving another second off her best in the 400-meter dash, clocking a time of 1:06.27.  This performance earns her a “hat-trick” of lifetime bests, as she broke her best time in the 400-meters consistently in the last three meets.
 
Sophomore Mike Abelard set yet another school record in the 200-meter dash where he clocked a blistering time of 21.73 seconds, which placed him 2nd overall out of 35 competitors.  Abelard also raced in the 100-meter dash, and while it isn’t one of his favorite events, he still exemplified his athletic prowess and placed 3rd out of 34 sprinters with a striking time of 10.94 seconds.
 
Freshman George Erazo also raced the 200-meter dash and joined his teammate in setting a lifetime best.  Erazo ran 22.89 and placed 15th overall.
 
The 4x400-meter relay consisting of Mike Abelard, George Erazo, Freshman Frankie Colon, and Senior Vinny Modafferi set the STAC Outdoor school record with a time of 3:21.77.  Erazo anchored the relay to a phenomenal 2nd place finish to Rowan University.
 
The STAC distance team represented the maroon and gold with flash fashion as they, too, set countless lifetime bests, as well as a few school records.
 
Junior Sarah Callagy premiered in the women’s 5000-meter race, which would be her first on-track 5k.  Callagy took to the race with little to no hesitation as she shattered her current 5000-meter record, and set a new STAC school record with a respectable time of 18:55.29.  Her tenacity placed her 11th overall in a field of 34 competitors!
 
Junior Chelsea Klinger saw huge gains at Franklin Field as she ran a lifetime best in the 1500-meter run with a time of 5:10.31
 
On the men’s side, Freshman Mike Galonski came back for more to run his second 3000-meter steeplechase of his entire track & field career.  A complete novice to the event, Galonski took to the steeplechase barriers like a moth to flame as he set a school record in the event with a remarkable 10:03.12, which placed him 3rd overall!
 
Freshman Matt Buell also had a track & field debut, but in the 1500-meter run.  Buell clocked a lifetime best of 4:13.83.
 
The Spartans continue their success at Rutgers in New Brunswick, NJ next Saturday.