By Adam Rigilian

The men’s track ‘ field team took on top national competition at Saturday’s Hurricane Invitational in Miami.

Teams from the University of Miami, University of Texas, University of Wisconsin and former America East rival University of Albany all competed in the meet.

Unfortunately for NU, the whole team could not make it to Florida.

“Nate [Hunter], my throwers and Jack Sherman were in New York, on a plane and they turned the plane around,” said head coach Sherman Hart. “Mother Nature was treating us so well the week before, but this past week, I guess New England was overdue for a wallop.”

Not only did the storm keep several competitors out of the meet, it also held up team equipment, which kept junior thrower Bamidele Faboyede and freshman jumper Adrian Li, who were in Florida, on the sidelines.

Freshman Jordan Thull scored the lone points for the Huskies who did make it to the meet, taking second place in the pole vault with a 16-foot, 0.75-inch jump.

Senior captain Christian Tirella finished 14th in the 400-meter, running a 48.73, his fastest time of the year. Senior Conrad Dalton was right behind him, taking 15th in the event with a 49.00.

“Me, Christian and Conrad always laugh – if I could put Christian’s start into Conrad and Conrad’s finish into Christian, I’d have the perfect 400 runner,” Hart said.

Junior Jonathan Watkins took 22nd in the 100-meter (11.17) and 30th in the 200-meter (22.45) and freshman Jonathan Hall took 18th in the 400 hurdles (56.19).

The team competes next at the Husky Spring Invitational, the only Northeastern home meet this outdoor season, March 24 at Solomon Track.

“We probably have almost 20, 25 teams coming this weekend,” Hart said. “It should be a good meet if we can get the snow off the track.”