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New Britain, CT - The site of the NEC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships changed, but the name of the team champion didn’t.

Sacred Heart captured its second consecutive team title, but its first in its home state of Connecticut.

The Pioneers piled up 183 points to finish ahead of runner-up LIU Brooklyn (158) and captured the program’s second straight NEC “Triple Crown.” For the second year in a row, SHU has won the conference’s cross-country, indoor and outdoor team championships.

SHU juniors Nicole Bartosch and Mareena DiMilia combined for 47 of the team’s points and secured major individual honors as a result.

Bartosch, who scored in five different events and racked up 26 points, captured the NEC Most Vaulable Performer award. The Empire State product posted second-place finishes in the high jump and long jump and also made her presence felt on the track. Bartosch registered ECAC Championship qualifying times in the 200m dash and 100m hurdles.

DiMilia won the hammer throw, her signature event, en-route to securing the NEC Most Outstanding Thrower honor. The third-year Pioneer, who has already qualified for the NCAA Division I East Region Championships in the hammer, picked up a bronze in the shot put and finished fourth in the javelin competition.

In all, Sacred Heart’s deep roster totaled 13 medals (5 Gold, 4 Silver, 4 Bronze) and accounted for the program’s second-highest point total in its history at the title meet.

LIU Brooklyn, the runner-up in the team standings for the second year in a row after winning the title back in 2014, accumulated a meet-high 14 medals (8 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze). Despite their numerous high-quality performances, the Blackbirds did not manage to pick up points in as many events as the Pioneers.

Senior Kyaira Wright-Harmon accounted for three of LIU’s medals in the jumps. En-route to securing the Most Outstanding Field Performer (Jumps) award for the second year in a row, the Garden State product successfully defended her high jump title while earning bronze in the triple and long jumps.

Stephanie Aidoo spearheaded the LIU Brooklyn’s scoring barrage in the sprints. The Canadian-born Blackbird, who can claim she is the “Fastest Woman in the NEC,” struck gold in the 100m and 200m dashes. LIU totaled 48 points in those two events alone.

LIU also secured victories on the track in the 400m dash (Cassandra Jones), 100m hurdles (Gabriella Ade-Onojobi), and 400m hurdles (Alea Stevens).

Sacred Heart athletes finished first in the 10,000m run (Shannon Hickey) and 3,000m steeple chase (Tara Connelly), but the Most Outstanding Distance Runner award went to a CCSU Blue Devil. Junior Brittany Mendelson earned NEC champion status in the 1500m and 5K while also anchoring the 3200m relay team to a fourth-place finish.

Robert Morris again finished in the top half of the women’s team standings. The Colonials took fourth place with help from NEC Most Outstanding Rookie Performer Sam Buck. The freshman thrower scored in three different events leading all rookie scorers with 17 points.

Fairleigh Dickinson took third in the team race, its highest finish since 1999 when it last won the conference crown. British-born Knight Mae Thompson made her top seed hold up in the 800m run while Decoda Simpson struck gold in the discus.


TEAM STANDINGS
1. Sacred Heart, 183
2. LIU Brooklyn, 158
3. Fairleigh Dickinson, 85
4. Robert Morris, 81
5. Mount St. Mary's, 74
6. Central Connecticut, 71
7. Saint Francis U, 66
8. Wagner, 52.5
9. Bryant, 37.5
10. St. Francis Brooklyn, 10
 
MAJOR AWARD RECIPIENTS
Most Valuable Performer: Nicole Bartosch, SHU
Most Outstanding Track Performer (Distance): Brittany Mendelson, CCSU
Most Outstanding Track Performer (Sprints): Stephanie Adioo, LIU
Most Outstanding Field Performer (Throws): Mareena DiMilia, SHU
Most Outstanding Field (Jumps): Kyaira Wright-Harmon, LIU
Most Outstanding Rookie Performer: Sam Buck, RMU