Sophomore Stefan Balestra competed in the Championship Division for the hammer throw.

Balestra, Griffin and Santo lead Skyhawks performances on Friday

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (April 1, 2016) – The Stonehill College men's track & field program opened its weekend competing among 63 programs, including 43 at the NCAA Division I level, at one of the largest scored meets in the country on day two of the 51^st annual Colonial Relays, hosted by William & Mary University, at Walter J. Zable Stadium and Dan Stimson Throwing Areas today.

Sophomore Stefan Balestra (Lincoln, Rhode Island/Lincoln) competed in the Championship University Division of the hammer throw and placed 13^th with a distance of 146-feet, 9-inches. He was one of just five Division II and III throwers in the championship division for the event. Senior Mason Griffin (Wellesley, Massachusetts/Wellesley) placed eighth out of 26 competitors in the University Division hammer throw with a distance of 136-feet, 11-inches, ranking second among non-Division I throwers.

Griffin was also fourth out of 38 entries in the University Division shot put with a distance of 48-feet, 6.25-inches.

Junior Joe Santo (Newburyport, Massachusetts/Newburyport) finished 21^st out of 43 entries in the University Division 10,000-meter run with a time of 31:45.35 – good for fourth among non-Division I runners in the event.

Sophomore Jason Dimmick (Sutton, Massachusetts/Sutton) finished 30^th out of 90 entries in the University Division 800-meter run with his time of 1:57.60. Freshman David Lockhart (Stoughton, Massachusetts/Stoughton) placed 36^th in 1:58.25, while freshman Stephen Vercollone (Pembroke, Massachusetts/Pembroke) was 59^th in 2:00.75.

Junior Joe Santo finished 21st in the 10,000-meter run on Friday night.

Freshman Alexander Demeule (Merrimac, Massachusetts/Pentucket Regional) finished 27^th out of 75 entries in the University Division 1500-meter run with his time of 4:02.56, while classmate Christopher Drace (Franklin, New Jersey/Pope John XXIII) placed 29^th in 4:03.16. Freshman Riley Dowd (Peabody, Massachusetts/Peabody Veterans Memorial) took 39^th in 4:04.44.

Sophomore Mark Hamalian (West Bridgewater, Massachusetts/Bridgewater-Raynham) placed tenth in the University Division high jump competition by clearing 5-feet, 10.50-inches. He also took 12^th place in the University long jump with a distance of 21-feet, 4.25-inches.

Sophomore Joshua Hubbell (Gloucester, Massachusetts/St. John's Prep) placed 16^th in the University Division long jump with a distance of 21-feet, 0.75-inches. Classmate Jonathan Naval (Stratford, Connecticut/Bunnell) finished 20^th out of 38 entries in the event by clearing 20-10.50.

Hubbell was also 58^th out of 90 entries in the University Division 200-meter dash with a time of 22.92-seconds. Sophomore Patrick Ahern (Charlotte, North Carolina/Providence Day School) placed 66^th in 23.18-seconds.

Junior All-American Matt Baldasare (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) placed 41^st out of 92 entries in the University Division 400-meter dash with a time of 50.53-seconds. Sophomore Ruddy Severino (Methuen, Massachusetts/Methuen) placed 69^th in 51.67-seconds.

Freshman Joe Connolly (Wilmington, Massachusetts/Austin Prep) finished 33^rd out of 62 entries in the University Division 100-meter dash with a time of 11.18-seconds.

Stonehill concludes its weekend at the Colonial Relays in Williamsburg on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. Stonehill will host its annual Skyhawk Invitational on Saturday, April 30, at 10:30 a.m.

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