All-New Englands Beckon, McCabe Awarded Again

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – The dream season continues for shot putting sensation Colin McCabe. Not only did McCabe earned his fourth MASCAC Rookie of the Week nomination, but the two-sport freshman qualified for the All-New England Track and Field Championship on Saturday at Dartmouth College.

The exclusive meet features the top competitors from all divisions of the NCAA and McCabe easily surpassed the rigorous standards. Only the top 24 shot putters qualify for the meet, but McCabe's record-breaking 15.49m shot at the MASCAC/New England Alliance Championships was good for an amazing ninth across all divisions in New England. McCabe was third in DIII and bested all but one DII opponents' best throws.

McCabe will once more square off against local foes Jared Louf-Woods of UMass-Dartmouth and Worcester State's Elmer Acuña. Louf-Woods had the second-best throw in all of New England this spring at 16.81m, behind only Zachary Astle of the University of New Hampshire (16.85m). Acuña pipped McCabe for the MASCAC title two weeks ago.

Maritime's star thrower is the highest-rated freshman in New England and one of only five to qualify. Of the other first-year throwers, only McCabe's first meet of the season would not surpass any of their best results.

"I feel really good right now," remarked the Dartmouth, Mass. native, unusually showing off a confident side. "I feel okay about my form and I think my strength is the best it has been all season. This week I went over to Bourne and was really working on using the whole circle, which is the area I can most improve. I think I am going to peak on Saturday."

McCabe will compete at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. He will have his work cut out for him to beat the all-time record of 19.53m, set by Boston University's Art McDermott in 1984. However, in the last 25 years, no thrower has eclipsed 18 meters, with recent champions coming in between 16.25 and 17.95 meters in the past half-decade.

"We are very excited for Colin to be representing Massachusetts Maritime Academy this weekend," noted the Academy's Track and Field Head Coach, Cathy Lohse.

McCabe's fifth MASCAC weekly honor came on the heels of his superb performance at the New England Division-III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at which he put a 15.09m shot. That throw was No. 5 among DIII New England shot putters and best on the MASCAC list.

Make sure to bookmark www.mmabucs.com and stay tuned for meet results on Twitter @mmabuccaneers. Get the inside scoop on Facebook and on our new Instagram @massmaritimebuccaneers.

Gabriel Fidler, Sports Information Associate