Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Ice Hockey Soccer Track & Field

Basketball Cross Country Field Hockey Lacrosse Soccer Softball Track & Field

Alumni/Hall of Fame Compliance Facilities Forms SAAC/Champs Life Skills Sports Information Sports Medicine Staff Directory Strength and Conditioning Wallace Civic Center at FSC

General Information Intramural Sports Membership Services News Operating Hours Programs Staff




Fitchburg State Has Eyes Set on Strong 2009-10 Season

The Fitchburg State men's and women's indoor track team enters the 2009-10 season with all around talent as the Falcons are in search of a dual MASCAC title. Last season, the men's team posted a second place showing at the MASCAC Invitational with 156 points, while the women posted a total of 49.

"This season looks to be very promising for us," said 31st year head coach Jim Jellison. "We have a lot of stronger returners leading the way, but also have a great group of incoming freshman. This year, look for both teams to be in the MASCAC hunt."

Numbers are up this season for the Fitchburg State squad as the team boasts a strong, 67-man roster with 26 newcomers. The men's team is running strong with 40 players, while the women have seen a dramatic increase with a 27 player squad.

MEN'S TEAM


DEVON JENNINGS

Pacing the men's team both on the field and on the track will be Division III honorees, Carlos De La Rosa (Holyoke, Mass./Holyoke), Kyle Callahan (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) and Devon Jennings (Brockton, Mass./Brockton). Last season, the trio was part of the Falcons 4x200 relay, which set a school record in the event with a blistering time of 1:32.33. Joining the three-headed monster will be freshman Michael Iasevoli (Ayer, Mass./Ayer) who will add extreme speed and quickness to the Falcons already talented relay.

De La Rosa and Callahan also provide the Falcons with a strong 1-2 attack in the field as the duo has dominated in the long-jump and triple-jump respectively. Freshmen Will Lary (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) and Anthony Nelson (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) will also play a prominent role in this season field events.

Rounding out Fitchburg State's sprinters and middle distance runners will be Nelson, freshman Tim Hill (E. Bridgewater, Mass./E. Bridgewater) and classmate Jimmy Petersen (Groton, Mass./Fitch). Nelson and Hill have proven to be big surprises throughout training camp, while Petersen has emerged has the team's top ¼ miler.

Transitioning from the cross country course will be distance runners and All-Conference candidates Matt Spano (Gardner, Mass./Gardner), Chris Kibler (Bath, Maine/Morse), and Kyle Schaeffer (Hudson, Mass./Hudson). This veteran core along with newcomers Will Lary, Pat Lucas (N. Attleboro, Mass./Bishop Feehan), and Mike Grasela (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) will pace the Falcons core of long distance runners.

Possibly one of the strongest areas for Fitchburg State this season will be its throwers as it holds a solid core of eight hurlers. MASCAC weekly honoree Matt Muolo (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) and senior Brandon Jean (Dunstable, Mass./Dunstable) lead the way as the pair finished second and third respectively in the MASCAC shot-put last season. Muolo registered a throw of 13.20 meters, while Jean tossed a distance of 12.87 meters. Aiding Jean and Muolo in the throwing events will be newcomers Michael Lima (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) and Anthony Viccaro (E. Hampton, Conn./E. Hampton) who are expected to make significant strides this season.

The loss of standouts jumpers Alex Ivanov and Alex LeBlanc due to surgery appears to be the biggest question for the Falcons, but newcomer Kyle Petka (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable) and sophomore Peter Rowe (Taunton, Mass./Coyle-Cassidy) are up to the task of filling the vacant roles. Petka will serve as the Falcons main pole vaulter, while Rowe will play a versatile role, competing in the pentathlon and decathlon events.

WOMEN'S TEAM

The Fitchburg State women's team enters the upcoming season much improved from a year ago as the Falcons combine solid returning talent with a highly anticipated freshman class.


KAT MARRONE

Newcomer Emily Lane (Clinton, Conn./The Morgan School) enters the winter season as the Falcons top recruit, gaining collegiate experience as a standout cross country runner. Lane is slated as Fitchburg State's pentathlete and holds great abilities in several areas of the track. A former standout at The Morgan School, Lane comes to Fitchburg State very decorated, holding eight All-Conference titles, two-school records (high-jump) and one All-State honor.

Joining Lane on the track will be veteran sprinters Julie Almstrom (Auburn, Mass./Auburn), Ali Landry (Bellingham, Mass./Bellingham) and Madeline Merchant (Gardner, Mass./Monty Tech). Sophomore Kat Marrone (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Central) will hold down the Falcons middle distance slot, while cross country trio Linda Fortunato (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawam), Carrie Hill (Tyngsboro, Mass./Tyngsboro) and Katelyn Page (Beverly, Mass./Beverly) will fill the distance roles.

Anchoring the Fitchburg State women's squad will be its throwing core as senior captain Lindsay Suprenant (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawam) returns from a successful junior season. During her 2008-09 campaign, Suprenant witnessed personal best in the spring-time shot-put, posting a third place finish at the MASCAC's with a throw of 10.21 meters.

Joining Suprenant is a handful of newcomers, including rookie Megan Gonzalez (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood). Gonzalez has proven to be a top tier thrower for the Falcons, while Shanissa Sampson (Marlborough, Mass./Marlborough), Riley Sullivan (Somerset, Mass./Somerset) and Samantha Preston (W. Bridgewater, Mass./W. Bridgewater) round out the Fitchburg State talent.

Completing the Falcons team this season will be its jumpers led by Merchant and Almstrom. The pair will spearhead Fitchburg State's long jump and triple jump core while junior Erin Abbott (Warwick, Mass./Pioneer Valley) holds down the Falcons high-jump spot.

Freshman Laura Weitz (Billerica, Mass./Billerica) and Kara Taupier (Somers, Conn./Somers) will also see immediate action in the field, while classmate Abigail Sowders (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont) will serve as Fitchburg State's main pole vaulter, filling the shoes of former standout Emily Sullivan from a year ago.

Fitchburg State kicks off its 2009-10 season on December 5th as it travels to the Northeastern Invitational. The Falcons will then travel to Harvard University before Winter Break and will resume action on January 16th at Tufts University.