Gottshall, Nekitopoulos Win Individual Events at Springfield College Season Opener

WESTFIELD, Mass. — The Westfield State men's indoor track and field team kicked off the season at Springfield College for the Springfield College Season Opener meet finishing third out of six teams on Saturday afternoon.

On the track, multiple Owls outperformed the competition with wins in their respective events. In the men's 600 meter run we see five Owls finish in the top ten including the winner Rowan Gottshall (Simsbury, Conn.) with a time of 1:28.08. Turning to the men's mile race, Westfield State cross country star John Nekitopoulos (West Springfield, Mass.) took the crown with a time of 4:31.51.

In two more track competitions, first-year sprinter Theo Yetman (Franklin, Mass.) finished in second in the men's 200-meter dash and in the final individual race of the day, the men's 3000 meter run, two Owls finished in the top three in Scott Porter (Boylston, Mass.) and Nekitopoulos.

In the field events, there was a lot of production from last year's performers. Dylan Clark (Bellows Falls, Vt.) finished fourth in men's shot put as well as sixth in men's weight throw. Daniel Shea (Longmeadow, Mass.) finished fourth in men's long jump with a distance of 6.32 meters. Ali Warsame (Chelsea, Mass.) finished in third in the men's triple jump with a score of 12.59 meters as well.

Springfield College won the meet with a total of 171.50 points followed by Rhode Island College (136 points), then the Owls (107.50 points).

Westfield State will be back in action next Saturday, December 14 for the last time in the 2024 calendar year as they head to Hanover, NH for the Dartmouth College December Invite.

Written by Hunter Briggs – WSU Sports Information Assistant