(02-18-10) BOSTON, Mass. – The University of New Haven women’s indoor track and field team, led by junior Shannon Gagne, finished in fourth place at the Northeast-10 Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Thursday night at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Mass. The UNH men finished in ninth place.

Gagne won all four events she competed in and set two NE-10 Championship Meet records. She was named both the NE-10 Athlete of the Year and the Women’s Championship Most Valuable Athlete. With a time of 7.22 seconds in the 55 meter dash she took first place by .09 seconds. She set records in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.36 seconds and in the 400 meter dash with a time of 56.56 seconds. She finished nearly two full seconds ahead of the rest of the field in the 400 meter dash. Her fourth win of the night came in the long jump with a distance of 18′ 2.25″. This is New Haven’s first NE-10 Conference Women’s Track and Field Athlete of the Year honor.

Other women’s team highlights from the championship include a fourth place finish by Alissa Howell in the long jump with a distance of 5.20 meters. Howell also finished in third place in the triple jump with a distance of 10.60 meters. Freshman Shraya Manick finished third in the weight throw with a throw of 15.19 meters, while finishing fourth in the shot put with a distance of 11.16 meters. The UNH distance medley relay team finished in third place with a time of 13:02.18.

Men’s team highlights include a fourth place finished by Kevin Downing in the 55 meter dash, while Joshua Woodin finished fifth in the weight throw with a distance of 13.65 meters. Michael Renna also earned points for UNH with a throw of 12.99 meters in the shot put. Matt Dunham added an eighth place finish in the one mile run with a time of 4:25.36.

The next event for the UNH track and field teams is the New England Championships on Friday, February 26 and Saturday, February 27.