WESTFIELD, MASS.  4/25/09 - Keene State senior Samantha Hirsh (Holliston, Mass.) is headed back to the NCAA Division III track and field championships.

The senior earned a return trip to the national meet after winning the javelin event at the Little East Alliance Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a school record and automatic NCAA qualifying throw of 147'-10".  Hirsh earned All-America in the event last year with her fourth place performance.

In other women's events, sophomore Allison Chamberlain (Scarborough, Maine) placed second in the 800 (2:23.51) and third in the 1,500 (4:53.98). Freshman Andrea Walsh (Bolton, Conn.) was fourth in the 1,500 (4:58.36). Freshman Heather Pierce (Buckland, Mass.) and Natalie Ferro (Dennis, Mass.) were third (20:07.14) and fourth (20:28.03) respectively in the 5,000 race.

The KSC 4x400 team of freshmen Sarah Titus (Derry, N.H.) and Haley Lydstone (Bedford, N.H.), Chamberlain, and Walsh placed second with a time of 4:18.29.

Keene State finished sixth in the team scoring with 62 points.  Westfield won the team championship with 162.5 points.

Senior Peter Najem (Derry, N.H.) raced to a first place finish in the 800 (1:55.31) and sophomore Craig MacPherson (Derry, N.H.) won the 1,500 (3:59.46) to lead the Owl men.  Najem was also second in the 1,500 (4:05.96).

Freshman Casey August (Westport, Conn.) was second in the 10,000 with a time of 34:12.29.

In field events, junior Dan Colina (Dover, N.H.) won the javelin (185'-00") and sophomore Bryan Kolacz (Brentwood, N.H.) took first in the discus (142'-04").  Sophomore Nick White (Westbrook, Conn.) placed third in the hammer (148'-04').

Keene State tallied 83 points to place fourth.  Southern Maine (184 points) edged Westfield (182.5 points) for the men's team title.