LOWELL, MA (Feb. 9, 2008) – UMass Lowell’s distance medley relay team placed fifth overall and shattered the school record to highlight the River Hawk efforts at the Boston University St. Valentine’s Day Invitational Saturday at the BU Track & Tennis Center.

The non-scoring meet drew scores of athletes and colleges of all three divisions from all over the country as well as many representing postgraduate track and field clubs from the Northeast Region.

The UML foursome posted a time of 11:54.72, which eclipsed the previous school record of 11:56.31 achieved last year, and currently ranks fourth on the Division II list.

Junior Christina DaLomba (Marstons Mills, MA) and sophomore Haley Catarius (Marshfield, MA), each members of the record-setting team last year, led Saturday’s team as DaLomba ran the 1,200 meters in 3:40.9 and Catarius the 800 meters in 2:13.40. Freshman Patricia Brice (Chelmsford, MA) ran the 400 meters in 57.80 seconds and freshman Lyra Clark (Nashua, NH) ran the mile in 5:01.80.

Catarius and Brice were also members of UML’s 4X400 meter relay team which also met the NCAA provisional qualifying mark, placing seventh (second among II-III teams) in 3:54.43. Senior Tristin Johnson (Pittsfield, MA) ran the first leg in 58.9 seconds while Catarius followed in 57.6, freshman Jenna Lapachincki (Turners Falls, MA) in 59.5, and Brice in 58.0.

Individually, senior Gillian Mundry (Methuen, MA) highlighted the day as she placed fourth overall – first among II-III athletes – in the long jump with a distance of 17 feet, 8.25 inches. Sophomore Olivia Thibou (Boston, MA) took 19th (fourth) with a leap of 16’7.25’’.

Sophomore Jacqui Barrett (Woburn, MA) placed seventh (first) in the shot put with a season-best throw of 42’7.5’’, just 1.25’’ shy of matching her career-best throw (42’8.75’’). Freshman Bethany Staiti (Barre, MA) placed 26th overall (fourth) with a distance of 37’1.75’’.