Track & field's indoor success fuels outdoor ambitions

The Lasers had an exceptional indoor track season, with many athletes setting personal bests and breaking school records. With seven meets leading up to the GNAC Championship, several Lasers made their mark in the record books.

In the 600-meter dash, Caitlyn Boston and Victoria El-Azem secured the 2nd and 4th fastest times in school history. Zayshawn Griffin also had an outstanding season, ranking 3rd all-time in the long jump and 4th in the triple jump.

When asked about the key to his succes during his impressive freshman season, Griffin shared, "I had to make a lot of time for the commitment, and having support from multiple angles helped keep my mindset in the right place."

Gianni Colebut also had a remarkable first season. At the Suffolk University Ice Breaker on Jan 11, he set a new school record in the high jump, clearing 1.89m, and finished 9th overall in the meet. He even won the GNAC Rookie of the Week for this performance. He credits these results to "hard work, dedication, and pure focus."

At the Suffolk County meet, Cameren Candelaria ran the 60m in 7.39 seconds, tying for 4th place on the school's all-time list, and followed up with a 23.45-second finish in the 200m, which secured him 3rd place on the all-time rankings.

Despite all the success throughout the season, the Lasers had one goal in mind: the GNAC Conference Championship. Cameren Candelaria, in particular, was looking for even more. He had run a solid 7.36 seconds in the 60m before the championship but was determined to improve and reach even greater heights.

Candelaria stormed to a 2nd place finish, setting a new school record with an impressive time of 7.20 seconds to earn the silver medal. But he wasn't finished. Candelaria also broke the school record in the 200m, finishing fourth with a time of 22.98 seconds.

He says that the season "overall went pretty well. We had a few people who did some great things. We had a few people who did their thing. Overall, a pretty goof season for everybody."

Griffin earned bronze in the long jump, while Nate Gonzalez took silver in the high jump. The men's 4x400m relay team (Jordan Woodley, Colin Roderick, Amill Houston, and Cameren Candelaria) set a school record with a time of 3:35.57.

The women's distance medley relay team (Lezly Acevado, Mikayla Bokis, Kat Kohtala, and Ella Meeker) also set a school record with a time of 14:36.87.

Kayoni Jordan topped the GNAC with an 8.22 finish in the 60m dash, finishing off her impressive season with a conference gold medal in the event.

The Lasers are set for a strong outdoor season, with athletes aiming for records and GNAC success.

One competitor, Griffi, just an inch from the school's long jump record, is determined to break it and help the team win.

Candelaria prioritizes medaling at GNAC, focusing on overall performance over records: "The main end goal is medaling at GNAC again, maybe higher this time, but just having a good season."

After a solid infoor season, the Lasers are lookign to continue making positive strides during outdoor. Some athletes have been in season since August and will compete through May. Months of competition under their belt, combined with strong talent and determination result in the fact that the Lasers are ready to make their mark.