Five Warriors Claim Awards On Final Day Of NJCAA Track & Field Nationals

WESTFIELD, Mass. ---- The Massasoit track & field program had another successful day at the NJCAA Division III Nationals on Sunday, seeing five individuals place in the top-8 to round out the meet held at Westfield State.

Not only were five more top-8 finishes tallied for the Warriors, but five more school records were shattered and another was tied on day two of Nationals.

Liam Brennan (Middleboro) put forth a personal-best showing in the 110m high hurdles. After qualifying for the finals by posting a time of 16.85 in the semis for the eighth and final spot, the freshman really dialed it up in his last individual race of the season. Brennan sped his way to sixth place in the event in school record fashion, with a time of 16.07.

In the distance events, Kevin Baldwin (San Jose, Calif.) continued to shine, picking up his second top-8 performance in as many days. In the 3,000m steeplechase, Baldwin placed seventh in 11:18.54, besting his own school record by 29 seconds.

The Warriors showcased some spring in the high jump as both Mitch Vaughn (Kingston) and Tevon Springer (Sharon) placed in the top-8. In just his second time competing in the event, Springer finished eighth overall with a personal best height of 1.80m. Vaughn, who had just missed the National cut as a freshman, leaped his way to sixth place, tying his own school record at 1.85m.

In the throwing events, Aaron Prescott (Carver) produced a record-setting performance in the discus. The freshman rifled off a toss at 35.74m, to place seventh, besting his previous record of 35.67m set at the Regis Pride Classic on the last meet of the regular season.

On the women's side, Deja Houston (Taunton) broke her own Massasoit record in the high jump. The freshman leaped 1.26m, good for 12^th overall.

Along with the individual events, Massasoit's 4x400m relay team of Springer, Brennan, Baldwin and Nick Vaughn (Kingston) finished 11^th overall. The foursome broke its own school best time in the event by nearly seven seconds (3:37.66).

For the National Tournament, the men's team finished tied for 16^th of the 22 teams that scored points with 12, the second most points every tallied by Massasoit at a track meet in program history. In total, Massasoit set six new school records and had six top-8 performances, including two from Kevin Baldwin.