By Cindy Retamozo
Northeastern won its first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship the weekend of April 20th when the women’s track team competed in Harrisburg, Va. The Huskies accumulated 163 points, claiming first place with a seven-point lead over William ‘ Mary.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” said sophomore pole vaulter Dara Samuel. “There was so much hard work in the preseason and during the season. Words can’t express being a part of the first team to bring it home.”
At the meet, senior thrower Zara Northover was named CAA Track ‘ Field Athlete of the Year and junior hurdler Tramaine Shaw was named Co-Track Athlete of the Year.
“It was a great accomplishment,” said head coach Sherman Hart. “The team and the staff came together and went it and won.”
Hart also expressed his gratitude toward James Carisella, an alumnus and former NU track athlete who donated a large sum of money to the team for traveling and other track related purposes, and toward President Joseph Aoun, who advocated for the donation.
Sophomore Amber Gibney placed second at the meet in the 800-meter run, finishing in 2:12.48 seconds. Senior Natalee Pennicooke placed fourth in the same event (2:13.79). In the 10K run, junior Kristie Gagnon placed third, finishing in 37:14.86 seconds.
Shaw won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.71 seconds setting a personal best and a record at the CAA. Senior Aquila Williams-Judge finished 6th in 14.34 seconds. Shaw later won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:01.12 seconds with junior Davi Ann Brown placing third in the same event (1:03.45). Shaw then won the long jump with a distance of 6.09 meters.
“It felt great,” said Shaw. “In previous years I had placed, but never won. I felt redemption.”
Gagnon placed fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:46.77 seconds with junior Laura McCloskey finishing behind (11.48.71).
The NU sprinting team placed third in the 4x100m relay in 46.51 seconds. NU went on to place second in the 4×400 in 3:44.23 seconds. Sophomore Olivia Kalinowska placed second in the pole vault reaching a height of 3.60 meters. In fourth was Samuel with a height of 3.35 meters and in 6th was freshman Brooke Borso with 3.35 meters.
Senior Ashley Wilson placed third in the heptathlon.
Northover proved to be a triple threat as she won the shot put (16.21 meters), the discus throw (44.34 meters) and the hammer throw (47.99 meters). She said her main inspiration was her teammates.
“I’ve always been a team player,” she said. “I put everything I could possibly put into it. Anything I did that weekend I did for them.”
This weekend, the Huskies will compete in the East Coast Athletic Championship (ECAC) in Princeton, N.J. Hart said he hopes for a repeat from the CAA.
“We just have to go in and win,” he said.
