Six things you need to know about the 2024-25 Men's Track & Field team

Thu, Dec 5, 2024

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT men's track & field team starts its 2024-25 season on Friday (Dec. 6) at Nazareth's Alumni Open. Here are six things you need to know about this year's team.

LAST SEASON
Head coach David Warth returns for his 28th season after the Tigers finished third at the Liberty League Indoor Championships. A total of 12 athletes qualified for the 2024 Atlantic Region Indoor Championships.

UPWARD TREND
There are plenty of experienced returners from last year's team that are poised to improve upon their results from the 2023-24 season. At the 2024 Atlantic Region Indoor Championships, the Tigers recorded four top 10 finishes. Senior Josh Auler took eighth in the weight throw, sophomore Erich Brown placed eighth in the high jump, senior Max Stein was ninth in the 400m as well as earning a fourth place finish in the 4x400m relay with junior Michael Sardo, senior Trenton Goyette, and sophomore Jack DeFeo.

FIELD EVENTS
Sophomore Erich Brown returns after posting several notable results a year ago. As a newcomer, Brown placed third in the high jump at Boston's Valentine Invitational and the Liberty League Indoor Championships. Graduate student Aidan Hughes returns, along with Auler who placed second and fourth respectively in the weight throw at the conference indoor championship meet.

DISTANCE
Coming off a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country National Championship, junior Derick Koen will look to continue his success on the track. Last year, Koen placed 13th overall in the 5,000m at the Liberty League Indoor Championships as junior Evan Owens placed 17th in the Mile.

SPRINTS & HURDLES
Sophomore Jacen Mitchell returns after winning the 60m hurdles at last year's Liberty League Indoor Championships as Stein and DeFeo placed second and third respectively in the 400m. The duo teamed with Goyette and Sardo to finish second in the 4x400m relay.

2024-25 SCHEDULE
The indoor season begins Friday at the Nazareth Alumni Open. After a holiday break, RIT will compete at the Brockport Invitational (Jan. 17), before hosting two home meets at Gordon Field House on Friday, Jan. 24 and Thursday, Jan. 30. The Tigers will then take part in the Brockport Multi and Invitational (Feb. 7 and 8).

On Feb. 15, some Tigers will head to Cornell's Kane Invitational while other will participate in the D3 Elite Invitational at Nazareth. RIT will then compete in the Nazareth Conference Tune-Up (Feb. 21), followed by the Liberty League Championships (Feb. 28 – Mar. 1) hosted by Ithaca. The next week is the Atlantic Region Championships (Mar. 7-8) at Ithaca, followed by the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships at Nazareth (Mar. 14-15).