LOWELL, Mass. – The Keene State College track and field teams began their outdoor season just as their indoor season ended – with more school-record marks and more New England Division III championship qualifiers – as they competed at the University of Massachusetts Lowell D'Amour Invitational at the Cushing Field Complex.

Both new school records came on the women's side, as first year Elle MacDonald finished the 200 meters in 25.96 to break sophomore Keely Giordano's mark set last year when she finished in 26.00.  MacDonald finished third in the event yesterday, just barely behind Merrimack College senior Riley Paskow and University of Vermont first year Sydney Greenidge to lead the 27-runner field.

The Owls' 4x100 meter relay team comprised of Mia Cruz, Caroline Cooper, MacDonald, and Giordano on the women's side also broke a record while winning the event, finishing in 48.47 to better the 49.66 time set on May 3 of last season by Molly Lu McKellar, Giordano, Drea Defreitas, and Cooper.

Elsewhere, Giordano finished sixth among 23 in the 100 meters in 12.83 and Cooper sixth in the 200 (26.74).  McKellar, coming off an NCAA indoor appearance in the pentathlon earlier this month, placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 11.87 meters on her final attempt.  Makenna Knapp picked up a silver in the javelin throw, recording a mark of 32.59 meters.

On the men's side, Kyle Thomas had an impressive New England Division III qualifying mark of 10.89 in the 100 meters as he finished fourth among the 36 competitors, edged by three athletes from Division I including two from the host River Hawks.  The 4x100 relay group of Alex Nimiroski, Ethan Vitello, Sean Von Ranson, and Kyle Thomas nearly joined their female counterparts in breaking a school record in that event but fell just two hundredths of a second short with their 42.15 time, which was good for third and less than a second from first.

"We had a great first outdoor meet, very excited with where we are starting off," said KSC head coach Dan Roark.  "We definitely had to get some rust off in some areas but had some really good performances with two school records.  But I'm really excited with where we are heading.  The outdoor season is very short with it only being a month.  I think we will be in good shape having decent weather for March and setting us up well for the rest of the season.  Very happy with how things started, excited to see where the season is going to go."

Elsewhere, Troy Tenney was sixth in the javelin (47.39 meters), Nimiroski 11th in the 100 meters (11.11), and Ben Tetu 13th among 57 in the mile (4:12.72).

The Owls are back at it next Saturday (April 4) when they travel to the Springfield College Invitational.