Gratzer Earns Division III All-New England Honors In Discus, Qualifies For Open New Englands Next Weekend

Massachusetts Maritime junior Robert Gratzer earned Division III All-New England honors with a fourth place finish in the discus at the 2013 Division III All-New England Outdoor Track & Field Championships that took place over the weekend on the campus of Colby College in Waterville, Maine.

A native of Pembroke, Mass. and a graduate of Pembroke High School, Gratzer posted a mark of 47.61 meters (156 feet, 2 inches) in the event, besting Fitchburg State senior and recently crowned Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference champion Zach Desrochers by nearly three feet (46.85 meters/153 feet, 8 inches) in the process.  David Pless of Bates took top honors in the discus with a facility record mark of 55.08 meters (180 feet, 8 inches).

Gratzer's performance qualifies him to compete in next weekend's Open New England Championships, which combines competitors from all three divisions, on the campus of Stonehill College in Easton, Mass., as the discus event will begin on Saturday, May 11th at 2:30 p.m. EDT.