LOWELL, MA (May 4, 2008) – Lyra Clark (Nashua, NH) won the 3,000 meters and was named the Freshman Athlete of the Year as UMass Lowell placed second at the Northeast-10 Conference Women’s Track and Field Championship Saturday at Bryant University.

The River Hawks compiled 157.66 points and placed second to Southern Connecticut (219.33), which won its second straight championship. Stonehill scored 112 points to place third and was followed by Bryant (91), Bentley (49), Saint Rose (22), Assumption (11) and Pace (6).

Clark was one of four UML athletes to win championships on the day as sophomore Jacqui Barrett (Woburn, MA) won the shot put, senior Gillian Mundry (Methuen, MA) the long jump and sophomore Haley Catarius (Marshfield, MA) the 400 meter dash.

Clark ran the 3,000 meters in 10:28.33 and established more than 30 seconds on the remainder of the field.

Barrett also enjoyed a milestone day as she captured the shot put with a career-best throw of 46 feet, 0.75 inches and inched from 11th to 10th on the NCAA Championship qualifier list.

Barrett was among five UML throwers in the top seven places as freshman Bethany Staiti (Barre, MA) placed fourth with a distance of 38’ 2.25’’ and freshman Sarah Coscia (Pittsfield, MA) fifth with a toss of 36’ 11.0’’. Senior Katie Brodeur (Lowell, MA) took sixth with a throw of 36’ 5.0’’ while freshman Kate Johnston (Mansfield, MA) placed seventh with a distance of 33’ 10.25’’.

Barrett also placed third in the discus (109’ 0.0’’), just ahead of Johnston (fourth, 107’ 10.0’’)

Mundry won the long jump with a distance of 17’ 9.75’’ and was one of three UML athletes in the top seven places. Sophomore Courtney Lincoln (Mansfield, MA) placed fifth with a leap of 16’ 2.5’’ and freshman Lauren Raimondi (East Longmeadow, MA) seventh with a jump of 15’ 4.25’’.

Raimondi and Lincoln also took third and sixth in the 100 meter hurdles in 15.35 and 16.00, respectively. They were also fourth and fifth in the high jump with the same height of 4’ 11.0’’, Raimondi with fewer attempts.

Catarius, who has spent the majority of the indoor and outdoor seasons as a middle distance runner, captured the 400 meters in 57.93 seconds, edging Bryant’s Stephanie Montagano (57.97). Senior Erin Doherty (Lawrence, MA) placed sixth in 1:02.93.

Other impressive individual results included that of junior Sarah Brassard (Oxford, MA), who placed second in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (12:05.01) and fourth in the triple jump (34’ 6.25’’); and junior Christina DaLomba (Marstons Mills, MA), who took second in the 1,500 meters (4:50.86), just ahead of senior Amanda Sousa (Peabody, MA), who placed third (4:51.50).

DaLomba and Sousa also led UML’s 4X800 meter relay team to the runner-up spot in 10:06.08. Joining them was freshman Jenna Banks (North Attleboro, MA) and freshman Jennifer Carr (Tewksbury, MA).

The River Hawks also impressed in the 4X100 meter relay, placing second in 48.28 seconds. Freshman Shanika Pitts (Easton, MA) led the way along with senior Tristin Johnson (Pittsfield, MA), and sophomores Sharikka Finley-Moise (Lexington, MA) and Prisna Doriscat (Boston, MA).

UML enters the New England Championship next Friday and Saturday at the University of New Hampshire.