NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Sacred Heart University men's track and field team concluded the 2023 Northeast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted by Merrimack, in fifth place on Sunday afternoon. 

The Pioneers tallied 70 points as a team over the two-day event to take fifth. SHU was sandwiched between Merrimack (100) in fourth place and LIU (69) in sixth place. 

The Pios' 4x400 relay team of Rafael Mahario, Jonathan Mahon, Jack Sarkisian, and Joseph Morrone highlighted Sacred Heart's day on Sunday afternoon, winning the event with a time of 3:15.92. 

Mahario, Morrone, and Mahon also combined to claim three of the top-five spots in the 400 meters. Mahario (48.05) and Morrone (48.07) set new personal records to finish back-to-back in second and third. Mahon took fifth place with his time of 49.62. 

Albert DePierro IV paced a three-Pioneer contingent in the top 11 of the javelin. DePierro IV led SHU in sixth after a PR throw of 49.83m. Benjamin Healy (45.80m) and Alexander Weiler (45.21m) placed back-to-back in 10th and 11th, respectively. Healy's throw is a new PR for the senior. 

Blake Stewart led the way for SHU in the triple jump, placing eighth with a mark of 13.42m. Dylan Hunt (12.92m) was just a little behind his teammate, finishing 11th this afternoon.  

The Pioneers are slated to next compete at the New England Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday and Saturday, May 12-13, at the Solomon Outdoor Track in Dedham, Mass.