WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State track and field athletes Eliza Lee (Walpole, Mass.) and John Nekitopoulos (West Springfield, Mass.) each won multiple events at the MASCAC Championship meet this past Saturday to headline the teams' 2023-24 Indoor All-Conference award winners.
Lee, who was also named the MASCAC Track Athlete of the Week on the women's side, took home individual victories in both the 600 (1:48.33) and the 800-meters (2:32.76). She also finished second in the triple jump at a mark of 10.87m and added third in long jump (4.99m) as Lee totaled 34 points alone as the women's track and field team went on to win the 2023-24 MASCAC Indoor Championship.
Lee was also part of the team-winning 4x400 relay team with a quartet of runners featuring Paige Moroney (Sterling, Mass.), Savannah Campbell (Walpole, Mass.), and Devin Whalen (Marblehead, Mass.) which earned the top time of the event in 4:25.17.
Along with the 4x400 relay win, the Owls also gathered another ten points in the 4x800-meter race with Brynne LeCours (Haverhill, Mass.), Ariann LeCours (Haverhill, Mass.), Tealei Chandonnet (Dracut, Mass.), and Kerin Johnson (Weymouth, Mass.) cruising to a first-place mark by 40 seconds of their closest competitors, posting a time of 10:53.44.
The Owl women dominated the distance events with sophomores' Shea Hamel (Longmeadow, Mass.) and Julianne Kelly (Natick, Mass.) earning placement on the All-Conference team as well. Hamel kicked off the track events by placing first in the 5000m, crossing the tape in 19:08.26 for the top spot. Kelly edged Hamel in the 3000m, finishing one tenth of a second ahead of her teammate with a time of 11:37.26 in an event where the Owls swept the points available.
On the men's side, Nekitopoulos led the Owls with event wins in the 1000 (2:44.09) and 3000 (9:30.45) to double-up on All-Conference recognition. He also earned second in the one-mile run, securing a total of 28 points for the Owls on the afternoon.
The men's team also found success in the 4x800-meter relay, anchored by Nekitopoulos as Rowan Gottshall (West Simsbury, Mass.), Colin Mahoney (Plainville, Mass.), and Gordon Johnson (Hanson, Mass.) combined for a time of 8:49.21 to finish first and receive All-Conference honors.
Westfield State track and field will travel to Norton, Mass. for the Wheaton Pre-Post Season Invite on Saturday before gearing up for the NCAA Division III New England Championships beginning on Friday, February 23.
For full women's Indoor All-Conference Team, CLICK HERE
For full men's Indoor All-Conference Team, CLICK HERE