Complete Results
May 3, 2009
Charlotte, N.C. - Melissa Salerno earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors in two events on the final day of competition at the 2009 Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the Irwin Belk Track and Field Center on the Charlotte campus. In the team competition, the Fordham men placed seventh at the championship while the women finished ninth.
Salerno earned All-Atlantic 10 honors in the 800m and 1500m, taking second in both races. She ran a 2:11.09 in the 800m while clocking a 4:27.85 in the 1500m, both season-best times for the senior. Salerno was just edged at the line in the 1500m, finishing 0.13 seconds behind Charlotte's Aja Jackson and she was just a second behind the 800m winner.
Charlotte's women picked up their fourth title in a row and have won every track and field team championship since joining the conference in 2006. The 49ers scored 174 points, ahead of runner-up Dayton who scored 116.50 points. Rhode Island placed third (109.50) followed by Temple (88), Richmond (84.50), Massachusetts (57), Duquesne (55.50), Saint Josephs (46), Fordham (43), La Salle (41), Xavier (27) and Saint Louis (16).
On the men's side, Charlotte was victorious with 217.5 points while Rhode Island scored 130 points for second place with Temple finishing third with 127 points. Richmond placed fourth with 83 points, followed by Saint Joseph's (67), Duquesne (62), Fordham (52), Xavier (32), La Salle (32), Massachusetts (29.50) and Saint Louis (26).
Also scoring for the Fordham women on day two was Kerri Gallagher, who placed fourth in the 800m in 2:12.05, and Jeana Fletcher, who took fourth in the heptathlon with 4,295 points. Fletcher placed fourth in the 800m (2:28.69), fifth in the javelin (96' 1") and eighth in the long jump (15' 4") on day two.
Other women competing for the Rams included Catherine Groene, who placed 12th in the 400m hurdles (1:06.01), Kelly Connolly, who was 12th in the 400m (59.43 - season-best), Sherilyn Groeninger, who finished 15th in the 200m (25.80 - season-best), Kathleen Reilly, who was 15th in the 800m (2:16.95), Christine Willeford, who took 18th in the 400m (1:02.70) and Elisabeth Warren, who was 18th in the 200m (26.13).
In women's relays, the 4x100 team of Groeninger, Willeford, Deanna Minasi and Warren took third in 49.73 while the 4x400 team of Connolly, Warren, Salerno and Gallagher were seventh in 3:54.66. Both times were season-bests for the Rams.
On the men's side Matt DiBuono, who won his third straight hammer throw title on day one, and Brian Schmidt led the way on day two. Schmidt took third in the 800m in a season-best 1:51.82, finishing just 0.27 seconds out of an All-Conference spot. DiBuono scored in the shot put with a fifth place finish, thanks to a season-best toss of 48' 4.5".
Also scoring for the men on day two were Christopher Lyons, who was fourth in the 400m in a season-best 48.68 seconds, Jason Grant, who placed seventh in the triple jump with a leap of 45' 5.75", Tom Finnerty, who took eighth in the 1500m in 3:57.81, and Chris Kozlowski, who was eighth in the shot put with a throw of 47' 6.75".
The Rams also had two scorers in the decathlon as Augustus Gleason placed fifth with 5488 points and Vincent Servello finished right behind him in sixth place with 5480 points.
On day two, Gleason took second in the javelin (158' 10" - season-best), sixth in the 1500m (4:49.85), seventh in both the pole vault (10' 11.75") and discus (92' 3") and ninth in the 110m hurdles (18.06). Servello was third in both the pole vault (11' 11.75") and javelin (156' 3") while placing fourth in the 1500m (4:35.90), sixth in the discus (100' 0") and tenth in the 110m hurdles (18.81).
Other competitors for the men on day two included Tim Hutchinson, who finished ninth in the 800m (1:53.36), Brian Riley, who placed 12th in the 5000m (15:24.40), Paul Szczepaniak, who was 13th in the 1500m (3:59.34), Brandon Ryan, who took 18th in the 400m (50.12), Clifton Hilario, who was 19th in the 800m (1:56.04), Ryan Campi, who took 19th in the 1500m (4:03.24) and Nick Delligatti, who placed 20th in the 200m (22.49).
In men's relays the Fordham 4x400 team of Lyons, Ryan, Hilario and Schmidt placed fourth in 3:18.10 while the 4x100 squad of Delligatti, Lyons, Frank Massaro and Fred Wertz was eighth in 42.95. Both times were season-bests.
The Fordham men's and women's outdoor track and field squads will next be in action on Saturday, May 9th, as they compete at the Last Chance Invitational to be held at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island beginning at 3:00 p.m.
