IMMACULATA, Pa. – The Neumann University Outdoor Track and Field team competed at the Atlantic East Conference Championships this weekend, hosted by Immaculata University. Courtney Humphreys obliterated records in taking the top spot in both the women's 800- and 1500-meter races. Drew Konieczny bested the field in the men's 800, and Kevin Deal earned gold in the men's shot put.
 
Humphreys smashed the program, conference, and championship records in the Women's 1500 meter, finishing with a time of 4:48.89, besting the field by over 15 seconds, to secure the gold. The time also beat her own program record by over eight seconds. In the Women's 800, she finished in 2:20.96, again breaking the Neumann, Conference, and Championship records.
 
Konieczny took the Men's 800-meter with a time of 1:56.72, a Championship record. Devin Joyce at 2:12.09, and Jaron McNeill at 2:22.56 also ran the 800. Kevin Deal won the Shot-Put competition with a throw of 12.46 meters, his best mark of the spring.
 
On the men's side, Matt Ricciardi qualified for the 100-meter final with a prelim run of 12.12 seconds. Christian Johnson finished it in 12.98. In the final, Ricciardi improved his time by a tenth of a second at 12.02. Ricciardi and Johnson also competed in the 200, finishing in times of 24.21 and 28.28 seconds, respectively. Johnson concluded his busy championship meet with the 400-meter, finished with a time of 1:11.66.
 
Konieczny followed up his championship 800 with a top-five finish in the 1500, finishing with a time of 4:10.94. Joyce had a time of 4:43.86, and McNeill had a 4:51.90. McNeill took on the daunted 10000-meter race, and with the raucous support of his teammates, finished with a time of 47:59.58. He remarked that this race, "made him stronger", considering it was the first time he ran this distance. His teammate, Fletcher called his performance, "dedication". The team of Konieczny, Joyce, Ricciardi, and McNeil turned in a silver medal performance of 3:39.08. Jaron noted that this race was "the most thrilling race of them all and it felt like it I was in a movie".
 
On the women's side, the team of Djeneba Konake, Janell Goldsmith, Kyleigh Joniec, and Michaela Fletcher were runners-up in the 4x100 relay, completing with a time of 54.11 seconds. In the 100, both Goldsmith and Fletcher clinched finals spots running in 13.53 and 13.56 seconds respectively, in separate heats. Konake finished her prelims run in 14.97 seconds, and Jaylah Flamer in 16.22. In the final, Goldsmith improved to 13.31 seconds, and Fletcher improved to 13.51, both in the top five.
 
In the 200, Fletcher and Goldsmith both earned finals berths with times of 27.69 and 29.79. Konake just missed the cut with a 31.95.  In the final, Fletcher improved to a 27.57 and Goldsmith moved up four places with a 28.66, both, again with top five placements. Fletcher and Konake competed once again, this time in the 400-meter. Fletcher hit the tape in 1:07.04 with Konake nabbing 1:13.20 pace. Joniec improved her 400-meter hurdles time by almost two seconds, finishing in 1:17.15. The team of Humphreys, Fletcher, Joniec, and Goldsmith worked the 4x400 meter relay in 4:37.51.
 
In the throwing events, Joniec earned a bronze in the Javelin Throw with a toss of 26.90 meters. Sydney Wilson and Allison Siravo also competed in the javelin with Wilson throwing a 19.82, and Siravo an 18.58, a personal best. Siravo also competed in the Hammer Throw. Her best toss went for 25.81 meters.
 
Fletcher remarked after Friday's portion of the meet, that "the team as a whole did very well" and she "ran to her potential. I have goals that I have set, and with training from coach and everything we do, really set me to a high standard." McNeill added that "everyone had a positive energy and spirit" and they were "consistently cheering for each other. It made the meet so much fun."
 
Neumann will next compete at the Widener Final Qualifiers in hopes of improving their performances to close out the season. The meet in Chester, PA, will be on Monday, May 15^th.