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 12^th when the Owls and Lancers will join two other league members in competing at the 2011 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.  The championships will be webcast live throughout the day at www.littleast.tv.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Sean O’Brien, Westfield State claimed its fourth straight men’s crown last February by outdistancing runner-up Fitchburg State by 45 points for the MASCAC title, as the Owls had eight different individuals capture conference crowns in their respective events on the day, including sophomore Anthony Frissora (Shrewsbury, Mass.), this week’s MASCAC Co-Track Athlete of the Week, who took top honors in the 1,000 meters as a freshman.  Westfield State posted a team score of 217 points in topping the Falcons’ team score of 172 points, while Worcester State (66 points), Bridgewater State (58 points) and Salem State (8 points) rounded out the MASCAC scoring.

The Owls finished as the runner-up to host Southern Maine in the 2010 New England Alliance Championships, as the Little East champion Huskies posted a team score of 171 points to outdistance the Owls’ total of 129 points, with Fitchburg State (78 points) placing fourth in the Alliance standings.

Worcester State wrestled away the crown from Westfield State in last year’s MASCAC women’s championships, as Head Coach Mat Lemaire’s Lancers notched an 18-point triumph to end the Owls’ three-year reign.  Worcester State received a pair of individual titles from sophomore Briana Wise (Worcester, Mass.) in the 55 and 200 meters, respectively, in posting a team score of 190 points to top Westfield State’s total of 172 points.  Bridgewater State (92 points) took third place honors on the day, followed by Fitchburg State (67 points) and Salem State (17 points) in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Worcester State was also the runner-up in last year’s New England Women’s Alliance Championships, as the Lancers posted a team score of 140 points in falling to Little East champion and host Southern Maine, which notched a team score of 154 points.  Westfield State placed third in the Alliance standings with a team score of 83 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, which is celebrating four decades of student-athlete excellence during its 40^th anniversary year, is comprised of eight state member institutions that sponsor 18 championships in NCAA Division III play.  Over 2,600 student-athletes participate in intercollegiate athletics at MASCAC members Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University and compete for league titles in the sports of baseball, men’s & women’s basketball, men’s & women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s golf, men’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, men’s & women’s soccer, softball, men’s & women’s indoor and outdoor track & field and women’s volleyball.  Additionally, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University are affiliate members of the MASCAC in the sport of men’s ice hockey.

The New England Alliance Indoor Track and Field Championships
Saturday, February 12, 2011    University of Southern Maine

Schedule of Events

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
    3:30    55  Hurdles        Men        Finals
    3:35    55 Hurdles        Women    Finals
    3:40    400
    4:05    600
    4:35    55 dash        Women    Finals
    4:40    55 Dash        Men        Finals
    4:45    800           
    4:55    1000
    5:15    200
    5:50   4 x 800  Relay
    6:10   4 x 400  Relay