Buzzards Bay, Mass. -- The Westfield State University men’s squad and the Worcester State University women’s team look to continue their respective runs of success on Saturday, February 11th when the Owls and Lancers will join two other league members in competing at the 2012 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships.

This year’s MASCAC Championships will once again be held in conjunction with the New England Alliance Championships, as member institutions of the Little East Conference will also participate in the event that will take place at the Costello Sports Complex Fieldhouse on the campus of the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, Maine beginning at 11:30 a.m. EST.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Sean O’Brien, Westfield State claimed its fifth straight men’s crown last February by outdistancing runner-up Fitchburg State by 97 points for the MASCAC title, as the Owls had five different individuals capture conference crowns in their respective events on the day, including junior Brendan Corcoran (Walpole, Mass.), this week’s MASCAC Co-Track Athlete of the Week, who took top honors in the 800 meters last winter. Westfield State posted a team score of 219 points in topping the Falcons’ team score of 122 points, while Worcester State (93 points) and Bridgewater State (86 points) rounded out the MASCAC scoring.

The Owls finished as the runner-up to host Southern Maine in the 2011 New England Alliance Championships, as the Little East champion Huskies posted a team score of 151 points to outdistance the Owls’ total of 99 points, with Fitchburg State (59.50 points) placing sixth in the Alliance standings.

Worcester State is looking for a three-peat of its MASCAC women’s crown, as Head Coach Mat Lemaire’s Lancers notched a 49-point triumph over runner-up Westfield State to claim its second straight title last February. Worcester State claimed four individual titles in last year’s competition, including senior Mara Kralian (North Grafton, Mass.), this week’s MASCAC Co-Field Athlete of the Week, who took top honors in the long jump. The Lancers posted a team score of 201 points to top the Owls’ total of 152 points, while Bridgewater State (117 points) and Fitchburg State (79 points) rounded out the MASCAC scoring.

Worcester State finished third in last year’s New England Women’s Alliance Championships, as the Lancers posted a team score of 109 points in falling to Little East champion and host Southern Maine, which notched a team score of 162 points, and Keene State, which posted a mark of 118 points. Westfield State placed fourth in the Alliance standings with a team score of 86 points.

Complete team and individual results from both the MASCAC and New England Alliance Championships will be available on Saturday evening at www.mascac.com.

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation’s oldest Division III men’s and women’s playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom. MASCAC member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University. Two other institutions, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sport of men’s ice hockey.

The New England Alliance

Indoor Track and Field Championships

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Field Events

11:30 Long Jump followed by Triple Jump (W - M)

11:30 High Jump (M - W)

11:30 Pole Vault (W- M)

11:30 Weight Throw (W-M) followed by Shot Put (M & W -2 circles)

Track Events

1:00 3000m

2:00 55m Hurdles Women Trials

2:15 55m Hurdles Men Trials

2:30 55m Dash Women Trials

2:45 55m Dash Men Trials

3:00 4 x 200m Relay Women

3:10 Mile

3:40 55 Hurdles Women Finals

3:45 55 Hurdles Men Finals

3:50 400

4:15 600

4:40 55 dash Women Finals

4:45 55 Dash Men Finals

4:50 800

5:25 1000

5:45 200

6:10 4 x 800 Relay

6:40 4 x 400 Relay

** Women will run first in all events except 55 H Final

** Two circles will be used for the SP

** Nine will advance to finals of field events

** Eight will advance to Dash and Hurdle finals based on time

Scoring: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 (NEW ENGLAND ALLIANCE)

University of Southern Maine

11:30 am

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

10-8-6-4-2-1 (MASCAC and LITTLE EAST) separate scoring