From the Northeast Conference

BRIDGEWATER, NJ – After a narrow runner-up finish at last year's Northeast Conference (NEC) Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship, CCSU heads into the 2024-25 season as the preseason favorite, hungry to dethrone four-time defending champion Wagner.

Seeking its first title since 2018, Central Connecticut received five first place votes from the league's head coaches to finish at the top of the annual preseason poll.

Wagner claimed the remaining three first place tallies to rank second among the eight NEC programs.

Stonehill placed third in the rankings with Saint Francis U coming in at number four.

LIU was slotted fifth, one spot in front of FDU. Rounding out the preseason selections were NEC newcomer Chicago State in seventh and Le Moyne in eighth.

The eight squads will compete for the 2025 title on February 16 & 17 at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, NY, where the meet has been hosted since 2016.

Fresh off winning the NEC outdoor track and field crown last spring and the NEC cross country title this past November, CCSU will look to maintain its momentum in pursuit of the program's third indoor championship.

Under veteran head coach Eric Blake, the Blue Devils came just eight points shy of unseating Wagner last winter, capturing both relay titles and securing gold in four individual events.

Returning to defend their individual titles are 2024 Most Valuable Performer Samuel Whittaker (Graduate Student/East Lyme, CT), who finished first in the 3000m and 5000m races, while 2024 NEC cross country individual champion Jacob Ireland (Senior/East Hampton, CT) won gold in the 800m and the mile. 

The Blue Devils also return sophomore Maxwell Czarnecki (Sophomore/Amston, CT), who made a splash last spring, winning the NEC Outdoor Most Outstanding Rookie award after claiming gold in the 400m hurdles. 

In the hunt for their fifth consecutive first place prize on the indoor circuit, Wagner brings back a plethora of talent from last season's championship-winning squad under Joe Stasi, who has headed the NEC Coaching Staff of the Year in each of the last four years. Julio Martinez (Junior/Madrid, Spain), Christopher Millilo (Junior/Yonkers, NY) and Kharlin Watkins (Senior/Coram, NY) all return to defend their respective individual titles in the pole vault, weight throw and high jump, respectively.

Wagner also returns the 2024 NEC Most Outstanding Rookie Jack Mason (Sophomore/Prescott, AZ). The sprinter and jumper impressed in his debut campaign as he won the silver medal in both the long jump and triple jump.

If the Seahawks secure their fifth straight indoor team title, they would become the first NEC squad to win five in a row since FDU did so from 1988 to 1992, which were the first five conference championship meets. 

Stonehill will look to build off last season's third place NEC championship finish, which was a five-spot improvement from 2022.

Chicago State makes its debut as a NEC member on the indoor circuit in 2024-25.