WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Four members of the Iona College men’s outdoor track team earned individual titles at the 2015 MAAC Championships at Monmouth University. The Gaels’ efforts in the 1,500- and 5,000-meter events saw them earn six of the top seven spots in the event.
Freshman Liam Dee took top honors in the 1500 completing the event in 3:48.77. Junior Xavier King earned silver, just over two seconds behind his teammate (3:50.92). Freshman Gilbert Kirui finished third in 3:51.89. Sophomore Brandon Allen (3:54.60), junior Kieran Clements (3:55.32), and senior Otis Ubriaco (3:56.17) earned points in fifth, sixth and seventh places.
The Gaels had an identical finish in the 5k. Clements took top honors with his time of 14:33.73. It was three and a half seconds faster than senior Andrew Kowalsky in the silver medal position (14:37.24). Senior Quinn Raseman earned bronze (14:41.43) while senior Michael O’Dowd (14:49.57), Ubriaco (14:52.92) and sophomore Andrew Tario (14:53.06) finished in the fifth through seventh position.
King and sophomore Brandon Allen finished first and second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase both finishing under the previous MAAC record in the event. King’s time of 3:48.77 was more than two seconds faster than Allen’s 3:50.92. They were also the two fastest times in school history. Allen set the mark at the Virginia Challenge two weeks ago. He had beaten King’s mark from the 2014 season.
Kirui was the 10,000-meter champion, finishing with a time of 30:21.69. He finished nearly 17 seconds ahead of silver medalist junior Jake Byrne (30:48.42). Sophomore Andy Adamovics earned fifth place points in 31:01.62 while rookie Alex Carter was seventh in 31:22.13. Rookie Johannes Motschmann was the 26th Gael to earn a top 10 finish at the MAAC Championships with ninth place time of 31:46.90.
Iona finished fourth with 117 points. Monmouth was the team champion, followed by Manhattan and Rider. Saint Peter’s, Marist and Canisius rounded out the team standings.
Byrne, Clements, Kowalsky, O’Dowd, Tario and Ubriaco were joined by seniors Reed Kochanek and Nick Lachman, junior Sean Gorham and sophomores Chartt Miller, Ryan Sleiman and Kalen Sullivan on the MAAC All-Academic team. The 12 Gaels honored were eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, by completing two semesters at at Iona and holding a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale.
2015 MAAC Championships
West Long Branch, NJ – Monmouth University
May 2-3, 2015
Iona Results:
800: Nick Sciuto, 15th, 1:58.00; Robert Kirsty, 16th, 1:58.26; Reed Kochanek, 17th, 1:58.51; Sean Gorham, 24th, 2:01.91; Kolbe Jendzejec, 25th, 2:02.71. 1500: Liam Dee, 1st, 3:48.77; Xavier King, 2nd, 3:50.92; Gilbert Kirui, 3rd, 3:51.89; Brandon Allen, 5th, 3:54.60; Kieran Clements, 6th, 3:55.32; Otis Ubriaco, 7th, 3:56.17. 3k chase: Xavier King, 1st, 8:52.36; Brandon Allen, 2nd, 8:54.18; Alex Shodai, 12th, 9:53.88; Ross Wightman, 14th, 9:58.02. 5k: Kieran Clements, 1st, 14:33.73; Andrew Kowalsky, 2nd, 14:37.24; Quinn Raseman, 3rd, 14:41.43; Otis Ubriaco, 5th, 14:49.57; Michael O’Dowd, 6th, 14:52.92; Andrew Tario, 7th, 14:53.06. 10k: Gilbert Kirui, 1st, 30:21.69; Jake Byrne, 2nd, 30:48.42; Andy Adamovics, 5th, 31:01.62; Alex Carter, 7th, 31:22.13; Johannes Motschmann, 9th, 31:46.90. 4×100: Iona (Shodai, Carter, Sciuto, Jendzejec), 6th, 53.28. 4×400: Iona (Kirsty, Dee, King, Sciuto), 6th, 3:28.93. 4×800: Iona (Dee, Raseman, Sciuto, Jendzejec), 6th, 7:57.56.