Men’s Track and Field Places First in the Bates Invitational, Nine Events Won

Friday, January 17

Lewiston, ME

5 PM

University of New Hampshire

Bates Invitational (Heptathlon)

Men’s Track and Field Places First in the Bates Invitational, Nine Events Won

1/18/2025 6:35:00 PM | Men's Track & Field

LEWISTON, Maine – The University of New Hampshire men's track and field team finished in first place in the Bates Invitational at Merrill Gymnasium. The team won nine events including a sweeping finish to the weight throw.

"I am really excited by our performance tonight," Director of Cross Country/Track and Field Anna Magle Haberek said, "This was a good meet to test where we are and what we need to do moving forward. It was good to see where our distance team stands as this was their first meet since Cross Country. We are looking forward to moving into the bulk of our season now that we are back from break."

Sophomore Avery Cipcic (Suffield, Conn.) started the meet off strong for the Wildcats with a first-place finish in the Heptathlon, earning 10 points for the 'Cats.

First place in 60m (7.34)
First place in Long Jump (6.65m)
First place in 1000m (2:58.23)

Grad student Aidan Shea (Amherst, Mass.) also had a first-place effort after winning the One Mile Run with a time of 4:12.09. This is Shea's second meet in a row with a first-place finish.

Similar to Shea, junior Yoofi Abaka-Amuah (Worcester, Mass.) continued his success from December's Alden Invitational with a first-place finish in the Shot Put (56-2.75) and a third-place finish in the Weight Throw (57-6.00).

The four other Wildcats who swept the Weight Throw were:
- First Place: Junior Liam McGovern (North Kingstown, R.I.) - (63-9.00)
- Second Place: Junior Caden Zalenski (Milford, N.H.) - (60-5.00)
- Fourth Place: Jack Washam (Nashua, N.H.) - (55-7.00)
- Fifth Place: Senior Max Rome (North Kingstown, R.I.) - (54-10.00)

A few of the other Wildcats who earned points at the Bates Invitational are…

Triple Jump
- Alain Twite (Concord, N.H.), first place (45-10.50)
- Ethan Palmer (Bowdoin, Maine), third place (44-0.00)
5000 Meter Run
- Junior John Murphy (Deerfield, N.H.), first place (15:24.59)
800 Meter Run
- Senior Kevin Finn (Kennebunk, Maine), first place (1:54.67)
1000 Meter Run
- Freshman Ian Smith (Munster, Ind.), first place (2:34.70)
- Sophomore Matthew Allen, second place (2:35.28)
4000m Distance Medley Relay
- Finn, Nathan Fletcher (Portsmouth, N.H.), Freshman Porter Hurteau (Milton, Vt.), and Shea, first place (10:37.56)

UNH returns to action Jan. 24-25 at the River Hawk Invite. The Wildcats' first and only home meet of the indoor track & field season is Feb. 12, 2025, against UMass Lowell at the Paul Sweet Oval.