Houlihan Leads Worcester Outdoor Track and Field in Season Opener

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Men's Outdoor Track and Field team would kick off their season after a week delay today as they headed to UMass-Dartmouth for the Corsairs Classic. Hoping for better weather after last year, which resulted in high winds and pounding rain, the Lancers trekked east to kick off their outdoor season. With just a touch of wind to add some excitement to the day Worcester would aim to make their presence known. 

Worcester would open their day with a ninth place finish in the 4x100m with a time of 47.36 on the legs of first year's Pius Baidoo. (Worcester, MA), Jax Christman (Lancaster, MA), Nolan Clarke (Mansfield, MA) and junior Nicholas Violette (Webster, MA). First year Jacksen Bolduc would additionally kick off his outdoor season in the 1,500m, snagging 36th with a time of 4:51.27.

Sophomore Alan Gomez (Clinton, MA) and junior Brian O'Leary (Marlborough, MA) would hit speed going a lap of the track as Gomez crossed in a time of 58.66 for 26th with O'Leary coming in just under 10 seconds later with a time of 68.61 for 28th. The Lancers would see triple action in the 100m with juniors Giovanni Casiano (Oxford, MA) and Nicholas Violette (Webster, MA) joining first year Jax Christman (Lancaster, MA) in the race. Casiano would claim 39th with a 12.22 time with Christman crossing in 43rd with a 12.44 followed closely behind by Violette in 49th with a 12.80. The 200m would see a packed presence for the Lancers as junior Brodie Jacques (Rehoboth, MA) would lead the chase with a seventh place finish for a time of 22.66 with sophomore Seth Boudreau (Douglas, MA) taking 13th with a time of 23.17. Clarke and Baidoo would take 36th and 39th with times 24.66 and 24.84 in the race. Casiano and Gomez would go 44th and 45th with times of 25.38 and 25.51 as Violette rounded out the sprints with a 51st place finish in a time of 26.56. 

O'Leary would be back in action for the 800m, crossing in 26th in a time of 2:19.80 just under 10 seconds before teammate sophomore Andrew Stokes (Wilmington, MA) would finish in 33rd in a time of 2:29.18. In the final track event for the Lancers on day senior Matt Talbot (Belchertown, MA) would claim 13th in the 5,000m with a time of 17:46.79 as fellow teammate sophomore Alex Matsuyasu (Newton, MA) claimed 15th crossing in a time of 18:02.62.

Senior Matthew Long (East Bridgewater, MA) would start his outdoor season with a 24th spot finish in the javelin after marking a distance of 37.71m to start the season. First year Garrett Papierski (Webster, MA) would kick off his outdoor collegiate career with a ninth place finish in the shot put, rocketing a 11.82m. Senior Jack Houlihan (Rutland, MA) would clinch his fifth place, and new personal best finish, in his first toss, recording a 43.41m distance in the hammer throw. Long would grab 11th in the event with a 36.03m mark while junior Max O'Connor (Dedham, MA) would seal up 14th with a 32.35m measurement. Papierski would round out the foursome with a 21st place finish with a distance of 30.62m. Houliah would take another first toss success, claiming 4th in the discus with a 39.50m throw, just edging ahead of O'Connor who claimed 5th with a 38.98m toss. First year Daniel Butler (Tynsgboro, MA) would finish in 23rd with a 28.44m mark. 

With Jacques second jump of the day in the long jump he would hit his 6th place mark with a distance of 6.15m. Joining Jacques was sophomore Seth Boudreau (Douglas, MA) with a 5.89m for tenth, Casiano with a 5.16m for 21st and Clarke with a 5.05m for 23rd. Wrapping up the day was Baidoo in an 11th place finish in the triple jump after landing at 11.30m alongside Christman who finished in 13th with a 10.90m mark.

Worcester State returns to action next Friday afternoon when they head to Regis College for the Regis Spring Classic.