NEW ORLEANS -- Seven Bates men's indoor track and field athletes earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors, as announced Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The top-5 individuals in each event from each region on the year-end Descending Order Lists earned All-Region distinction, in addition to each member of the region's top-3 relay teams.
Senior captain
Truman Williams (Montclair, N.J.) led the way for Bates, picking up All-Region honors in three different events: the 200 meters, the 400 meters, and the Distance Medley Relay. Williams is competing this weekend at the NCAA Division III Championships in the 400 meters, and he is the school-record holder in the 200 (21.75), 400 (47.90), 500 (1:03.31), and 600 meters (1:19.90).
Joining Williams on the All-Region Distance Medley Relay team is senior
Aidan Rooney (Bay Shore, N.Y.), junior captain
Jackson Monz (Logan, Utah), and junior
Ross Tejeda (Milton, Mass.), based on their time of 9:58.01 at last Saturday's Tufts "Last Chance Meet", the ninth-fastest time in Bates history. Tejeda is also an All-Region performer in the mile, and he'll represent Bates in that event this weekend at the NCAA Championships. He holds the school record in the mile at 4:07.55.
A pair of Bates throwers also earned All-Region honors, with sophomore
Matt Charpentier (Cape Neddick, Maine) recording a mark of 52-3.25 (15.93m) in the shot put at Middlebury's New England Small College Invitational on Jan. 26, the 10th best indoor shot put in Bates athletics history. Meanwhile, senior
Solomon Sakakeeny-Smith (Boston) impressed in the 35-pound weight throw, earning All-Region recognition based on his personal-record toss of 55-11.25 (17.05m) at the New England Division III Indoor T&F Championship.
Sophomore
Seneca Moore (Lansing, Mich.) rounded out the All-Region Bates men's track and field athletes with his performance this season in the 60-meter hurdles. His time of 8.23 seconds on Feb. 22 at the Bobcat Tune-up broke Moore's own school record in the event.
Tejeda and Williams are set to represent Bates at this weekend's NCAA Championships. Tejeda will compete in the prelims of the mile on Friday at 2:35 p.m. and Williams competes in the prelims of the 400 meters Friday at 3:05 p.m. If Tejeda qualifies for the finals, he'll run again Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and if Williams qualifies for the finals he'll go Saturday at 4:25 p.m.
