FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
April 21, 2008
Little East Conference Report #5

Track Athlete of the Week

Curtis Wheeler (Derby, Vt.), Senior, University of Southern Maine

Curtis Wheeler established a school record mark as the University of Southern Maine men's outdoor track and field team placed third at the 2008 Maine State Collegiate Championship meet hosted by  Colby College on April 19. The Derby, Vt. product broke his own record in the 5000-meter race, crossing the finish line in first place with a time of 14:54.65. His previous mark of 14:54.72 was set in May of 2007 at the ECAC Championships.

Field Athlete of the Week

James Spaulding (Lewiston, Maine), Senior, University of Southern Maine

Spaulding set a school record in the two-day, 10-event decathlon while competing at the Holy Cross Decathlon Wednesday and Thursday in Worcester, Mass. The native of Lewiston, Maine placed second among the 28 competitors at the event with 6,251 points. Spaulding's 6,251 point-total is good enough for an NCAA Division III provisional qualification, while smashing his own previous University of Southern Maine mark by 411 points. His total is just 349 points shy of an NCAA Division III automatic qualifying mark. Spaulding established his former school-record of 5,840 points with a second place finish at the 2007 ECAC Division III Championships in Oneonta, N.Y in May.

Rookie Athlete of the Week

Eric MacKnight (Newtown, Conn.), Freshman, Keene State College

MacKnight won the 5,000 meter race at the Springfield College Invitational, crossing the finish line with a time of 15:26.05.

Rookie Field Athlete of the Week

Mike Muolo (Stoneham, Mass.), Freshman, UMass Boston

Muolo finished third among Division III competitors in the shot put at the MIT Invitational this past weekend. The Stoneham, Mass. product turned in a season-best heave of 13.39 meters.