Track Team Gets Split Between Two Meets Over Weekend

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via gonyuathletics.com

NYU Track & Field team runner, Nathaniel Picard-Busky, ran hard through tough conditions to place third in the steeplechase.

Tony Schwab, Contributing Writer

NYU track and field had a packed weekend, with both the men and women competing in two separate competitions in the Garden State. Some were in Lawrenceville for the Sam Howell Invitational hosted by Princeton, while others went to Galloway for the Osprey Invitational.

At the Sam Howell, junior Jorge Maldonado took 25th overall in the 5000-meter dash, setting a personal best in the event. Sophomore Neil Saddler also set a personal best and took 29th. Senior captain Max Avila was the best Violet in the 800-meter, finishing 21st. Junior captain Nick Karam finished 21st in the 1500-meter and sophomore Karn Setya was 39th.

In the event’s second day, the rain was a major factor, but NYU had some great performances nonetheless. Senior Eddie Cruz-Desintonio came seventh in the 1500 meter, while senior Daniel Rieger and sophomore Robert DeSisto were 10th and 11th. Junior Caleb Su was strong in the 100-meter dash, finishing third.

Rain played more of a role at the Osprey, which had many events cancelled. In the steeplechase, junior Nathaniel Picard-Busky was third. Yohan Su was sixth in the long jump, and freshman Abhishek Panigrahi finished eighth in the discus. Maldonado was content with the weekend, but wished the weather had been a bit better.

“It was overall a decent meet everybody — not too great but not exactly terrible,” Maldonado said. “Conditions earlier on made it difficult for 800 and 1500 meter athletes, the wind and briskness dampening the potential we had. The effort was there and I think it’s a testament to our strength that we tried to make the best of conditions.”

The women had an equally successful weekend, beginning at the Saw Howell. Sophomore Ireland Gibson was eighth in the 800-meter, which was first among non-Division I runners. In the 5000-meter, junior Erica Bohdan led the Violets with a 19th place finish, while senior captain Lily Corsaro was close, finishing 21st.

The second day featured a great performance from the 4×100 relay team, which came in second, narrowly edged out by Adelphi. The team included senior captain Kristina Harris and freshmen Samantha Scoggins, Alyssa Jean and Mary Conti. In the 100-meter there were three Violets in the top ten — Jean in fourth, sophomore Harper Randolph in sixth and freshman Chioma Nwana in seventh. Wendy He took eighth in the 800-meter, while sophomore Megan Davis took 10th.

Other members of the women team made the trip to Galloway for the Osprey. Junior Simone Cooper was first in the triple jump, while freshman Sabrina Illiano was 13th in the long jump. The only runner on the women’s team to race before rain ended the event early was junior Nicole Lim, who took 26th in the 100-meter dash.

The teams will be together next Saturday at the Greyhound Invitational at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

A version of this article appeared in the April 11 print edition. Email Tony Schwab at [email protected].