NEW HAVEN, Conn. – After ending 2024 on a high note with dominant performances at their first two meets, the University of New Haven Men's Track and Field team looked to carry that momentum into the new year as they returned to the track at the William Sutherland Invitational hosted by Southern Connecticut State University. The throwers got the new year started at a midweek meet but now it was the full team returning to action in a busy weekend as the Sutherland Invitational was their first of two meets for the weekend.
New Haven grabbed a pair of top spots in the men's weight throw, as Jimmy Oreste (Jamaica, N.Y./) set the standard taking the top spot with a winning throw of 18.53m on his second throw. Oreste as well as winning set a personal record, and broke the New Haven record in the event and met the NCAA provisional mark. Teammate Jonah Aguiar (/) finished third overall with a throw of 14.93m on his fifth throw of the meet.
Declan McGrellis (Frederica, Md./Frederica) opened up the meet for New Haven, finishing second overall in the men's pole vault, clearing 3.85(m)eters, on his second attempt at that height.
Nile Love (Wheatley Heights, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) finished second overall in the sand pit for New Haven as Love jumped 6.94m.
Jordany Dely (Spring Valley, N.Y./Paramus Catholic) and Joshua Stewart (Madison, Conn./Hand) each qualified for the finals of the 55m dash as the pair of Chargers finished with the second and third fastest times of the preliminaries, as Dely crossed in 6.52 and Stewart crossed in 6.54. In the finals, it was Dely and Stewart shaved time off their prelim times and crossed in second and third again as Dely crossed in 6.46, and Stewart crossed in 6.49 to go second and third.
Luis Calderon (/), finished second overall in the triple jump, continuing the Chargers success in the sand it, as Calderon saved his best for last, jumping 13.29m on his sixth jump to finish second overall.
On the track, the top three fastest times of the 55m hurdles all went to members of the blue and gold as New Haven set the bar in the prelims, with Jordan Emile (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) setting the pace. Emile, who crossed with the fastest time, finished in 7.61, ahead of Dely who crossed in 7.62, and Amir Phelmetto (/) who crossed third with a time of 7.84, as all three advanced to the finals. The trio would post the same standings in the final as Emile ran a winning time of 7.60, Dely ran the second fastest time of 7.72, and Phelmetto finished third with a time of 7.84.
Nile Colson (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) finished third overall in the 300m crossing with a time of 36.75.
Amir Phelmetto (/) added a win and his second top three finish of the meet in the 800m, as he crossed with a winning time of 2:12.06. Teammate Cale Wilson (/) finished third overall in the 800m crossing with a time of 2:15.14.
Caleb Agbor (Haverhill, Mass./North Andover), finished second overall in high jump, clearing 1.85m clearing that height on his second attempt at the meet.
The men's 4x400m relay teams took a pair of the top spots at the meet as the team of Cale Wilson (/), Caleb Agbor (Haverhill, Mass./North Andover), Jesse Ierardi (Kingston, Mass./Cardinal Spellman), and Trevor Rawlinson (/) finished second overall with a combined time of 3:41.55. The team of Dante White (North Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin Senior), Noah Hurd (Wrentham, Mass./King Philip Regional), Elijah Espinal (Hamden, Conn./Hamden), and Liam Taggart (Wakefiled, Mass./Wakefield Memorial) finished third overall with a combined time of 3:47.56.
With the strong start to the new year and carrying the momentum, New Haven now has a short recovery night as the blue and gold return to the track on Sunday, January 12, when they have to make the longer trip to Boston, Massachusetts to run at the UMASS Flagship Meet at The Track at New Balance. All updates, post meet recaps, and postseason news for the team will be available at Newhavenchargers.com.
