McNeil places 14th in discus throw at NCAA Championships
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| Rich McNeil ’10, tied for 13th place at nationals in the hammer throw. McNeil was named NESCAC Rookie of the Year earlier this season. (Joe Gromelski photo) |
OSHKOSH, Wis. — Bates’ Rich McNeil competed as one of only three freshmen in the discus throw Thursday at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, finishing 14th.
Throwing in considerably bad weather, including rain and wind up to 40 mph, McNeil (Lawrence, Mass.) had a top throw of 141 feet and 3 inches, the same as 13th-place and fellow first-year Adrian Kibiersza of Aurora University out of a field of 17. The first round of the competition was heavily affected by the weather at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, although in the finals Dan Hytinen of Wisconsin-Whitewater marked the top throw in Division III this season at 178-0. McNeil’s personal best is 158-9.
Next up for the Bates men’s track and field team is junior Noah Gauthier (Amherst, N.H.), who competes in the hammer throw Friday at 3 p.m. CDT.
Keep up with results at the meet at http://www.raceberryjam.com/ncoutmenevt.htm.