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Five More First-Place Finishes For AU Men at Patriot League Track Championships
Duffy and O'Brien repeat as individual champions

February 23, 2003 | Stats

Sean O'Brien repeated as men's mile champion and helped AU to the DMR title at the Patriot League Championships.

HAMILTON, N.Y. — The American University men's track and field team had an impressive final day of competition at the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships held at Colgate. The Eagles claimed five first-place finishes on Sunday and had two runners repeat as individual champions.

Senior Sean O'Brien started the day for the Eagles by winning the mile in 4:09.15. Leading the race from wire-to-wire, O'Brien won by over two seconds as he defended his title from a year ago.

The next runner to capture an individual title was freshman Phil Gaeta. running 1:53.85 in the 800m. Gaeta won the race by half a second and set a new personal-best time.

Continuing with AU's winning ways was senior Andy Ellerhorst in the 500m. He ran 1:05.61 to claim the event by .10 seconds.

Sophomore Sean Duffy was the final Eagle to win an indvidual crown as he repeated as the 1000m champion, running 2:28.51. Duffy won the race by nearly a second.

AU closed the meet by winning the distance medley relay (DMR) in 10:10.68. O'Brien ran the leadoff leg of 1200m in 3:00 and was followed by senior John Campbell in the 400m leg. Campbell ran 52.3 before handing off to Duffy for the third leg. Duffy ran 1:58.4 as the Eagles continued to pull away. Gaeta got the baton for the mile and finished the race in 4:19 as AU won by four seconds.

Also on Sunday, sophomore Pat MacAdie finished fourth in the 3000m, running a personal-best time of 8:30.31. Junior Carlos Hunt was seventh in 8:32.51. Campbell also ran the 400m, running 53.00 to place sixth.

AU finished the meet with 69 points to place fourth. Army captured the team title.

The season continues for the Eagles in two weeks as the DMR heads to Notre Dame in an attempt to improve on their time. The squad has provisionally qualified for the NCAA meet and is currently eighth in the nation. The meet at Notre Dame will be the final opportunity for the relay to improve their time.