The outdoor track & field program at Massachusetts Maritime has experienced great growth over the past few seasons, and that growth has resulted in enthusiasm and success during competition.  Co-Head Coaches Chris Barry and Cathy Lohse-Whitelaw welcomes back 16 letterwinners as part of a 40-person squad this spring, and hopes are high for continued success for the Buccaneers in 2010.

Leadership has played a key role in the development of the program, and Barry and Lohse-Whitelaw will once again look to senior Jason McWhirter (Melvin Village, N.H./Nashua South) and juniors Meredith Hall (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) and Rory O’Donnell (Somerset, Mass./Somerset) to provide that leadership in their role as tri-captains for a second straight season.  The co-head coaches describe this trio as “committed to the overall success and betterment of this program through their tireless work effort and example to their teammates”.

Hall, O’Donnell and junior Brian Reske (Duxbury, Mass./Sacred Heart) capped off solid 2009 campaigns by scoring at last year’s MASCAC/New England Alliance Championships in the javelin, triple jump and 1,500 meters, respectively, while sophomores James Hutchinson (Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke) and Chris Sullo (Canton, Mass./Canton) set school records in the javelin and high jump, respectively, and this quintet looks to continue that trend of success this spring.

Reske will be joined in the distance events this season by McWhirter, juniors Matt Nadell (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) and Anthony Venterosa (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) along with freshmen Joanne Robery (Plainville, Mass./King Philip) and Aaron Eddleston (Fairhaven, Mass./New Bedford Voke).  Barry and Lohse-Whitelaw have depth in the sprinting events as well, as senior Eric Bray (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury), juniors Joseph Choniere (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) and Kathleen Micheli (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro), sophomores Michael Nunes (Rochester, Mass./Old Colony Voke) and Joseph Vitali (Killingworth, Conn./Haddam-Killingworth) as well as freshmen Evan Balderelli (Brimfield, Mass./Tantasqua Regional), Gabriel Bermudez (Guaynabo, P.R./Antilles), Alexandria Foster (Wareham, Mass./Wareham), Josh Lamm (North Andover, Mass./North Andover), Nicholas Lemoine (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan), Aaron Mann (Woodbine, Ga./Camden County), Kaitlin Scannell (Gilford, N.H./Gilford), Laura Spalt (Harwichport, Mass./Harwich), Laurence Tagger (Bourne, Mass./Bourne) and Michael Temple (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) will look to contribute as well in 2010.

The Buccaneers have increased depth in the field events as well this season, as Hall, O’Donnell, Hutchinson and Sullo will be joined in that group by senior Peter Gavrilles (Canton, Mass./Xaverian), juniors Phil Astone (East Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth), Ryan Buchanio (Plainville, Mass./Bishop Feehan), Jameson Buckley (Middleboro, Mass./Coyle-Cassidy), David Cenedella (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex) and Douglas Proctor (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North), sophomores Nicholas Dierlam (Safety Harbor, Fla./Clearwater Central Catholic), Chris Dintino (Mashpee, Mass./Mashpee), Craig Griffith (Bourne, Mass./Upper Cape Tech), Kevin Quinn (Barrington, R.I./Barrington) and Bill Sharp (Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus) as well as freshmen Rob Bergonzi (Quincy, Mass./Quincy),  Ryan Clark (St. Petersburg, Fla./Dixie Hollihs), Chris Flynn (Orange, Conn./Amity Regional) and Tom Turner (Westmoreland, N.H./Woodinull).

Massachusetts Maritime will compete in six invitationals in 2010, beginning on Saturday, March 20^th when the Buccaneers travel to Dedham, Mass. to compete in the Northeastern Husky Spring Carnival that begins at 11:00 a.m. EDT.