Feb. 20, 2010
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI - Senior Korey Edwards was named the 2010 Atlantic 10 Indoor Track Performer of the Year on Saturday after leading the Explorers with three gold medals at the Atlantic 10 Championship at the University of Rhode Island's Mackal Fieldhouse. Edwards led the men's squad to a fourth place finish in the team standings. Two Explorer women - Stephanie Bearish and Kellilyn Fierras - also found the medal stand on Saturday to lead the women's squad.
Charlotte won the men's title, while Dayton and Charlotte each won a share of the women's title.
Edwards and Rainford kicked off the final day of competition by going 1-2 in the mile early in the day. Edwards clocked a 4:17.60 while Rainford earned the conference silver medal with a 4:18.27. Kasey Gellar also finished in the top third, placing sixth and scoring for the Explorers with a time of 4:22.26.
Just about an hour later, Edwards picked up his second gold medal of the day, this time in the 1000m final. He led a fast pack of runners by finishing in 2:26.83, an IC4A time in a race that saw the top four qualify.
Terence McPeak and Dave Laratta won silver and bronze in the 800m final, both with IC4A qualifying times in the fast race. McPeak ran a 1:54.19 and Laratta was on his heels in 1:54.42.
Edwards, Rainford, McPeak and Laratta teamed up later in the afternoon to successfully defend the 4x800 meter relay conference title. The quartet didn't give the competition any chance as they jumped out to a half-track lead to eventually finish eight seconds ahead of second-place Rhode Island with a time of 7:42.10, also an IC4A time.
Sean Ward also picked up points for the Explorers, finishing fifth out of 26 runners in the 3000m final. Ward ran an 8:37.28. Andrew Wagoner placed in the top 10 with an 8:42.49.
Rashad Little led the middle distance with a fourth place finish in the 400m final, as he clocked 49.39 seconds.
Bearish and Fierras led the Explorer women on Saturday. Fierras won the silver medal in the 1000m final after winning her preliminary heat yesterday. She ran a time of 2:57.07.
Bearish won bronze in the 3000m, just behind A-10 Performer of the Year Amanda Goetschius and 5K champ Maureen Bulgrin. She ran an ECAC time of 9:57.69. Also in the 3K race were Meghan Lutz, who finished 12th (10:16.25) and Samantha Gallagher in 15th (10:25.63).
Fierras, along with Caitlin Storbeck, Wendy Hutchinson and Maureen Benner, teamed up for a big 4x800 meter relay race. They finished fourth in a race that saw the top seven squads run ECAC qualifying times. The quartet combined for a mark of 9:11.99, coming in well under the standard of 9:25.24.
The Explorers head back to the Armory next weekend as they participate in the NYU FasTracks meet in preparation for the IC4A and ECAC Championships.
