Men’s Track and Field Ranked Second in MASCAC Outdoor Preseason Coaches’ Poll

WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State men's track and field team have high expectations entering the outdoor season as they place just three points behind the reigning champions of Bridgewater State in the 2025 MASCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Bears totaled 16 points and four first place votes and the Owls earned 13 points and one first-place vote.

Returning to the team this spring is standout sophomore Nathan Sylven (Wrentham, Mass.). Sylven finished first in both the 3,000m steeplechase (10:09.96) and the 5,000m run (16:06.17) at last year's conference championship meet. In 2024, Sylven was a multiple time MASCAC rookie of the week and a member of the MASCAC all-conference team.

Four more all conference honorees from the 2024 season are back again for the 2025 campaign. Juniors' Colin Mahoney (Plainville, Mass.), Gordon Johnson (Hanson, Mass.), and Rowan Gottshall (Simsbury, Conn.), earned the award for the 4x800m relay (8:45.56) along with sophomore Lorcan Bergeron (Medway, Mass.).

Sophomore Ali Warsame (Chelsea, Mass.) hopes to make a splash this spring after competing at the Tufts National Qualifier Meet earlier this March during the indoor season, where he placed fifth in the men's triple jump (13.36m) and sixth in the long jump (6.58m). Following that performance, Warsame was named to the USTFCCCA Indoor Track and Field All-Region teams. To end last season, Warsame took fifth in the triple jump at the MASCAC outdoor championships in 2024.

Another athlete to keep an eye on in the field events is sophomore Daniel Shea (Longmeadow, Mass.) as in his first meet of the outdoor campaign, he placed second in the long jump at a leap of 6.59 meters. In total, ten Owls earned top three placements in different events at the team's outdoor opener at Wesleyan, Connecticut.

Returning as the leader for the Owls is head coach Sean O'Brien. O' Brien is entering his 27th season as head coach of the team, and is seeking his 16th men's outdoor MASCAC title.

Westfield State will continue their track and field season on Saturday, March 29 at the Corsair Classic hosted by UMass Dartmouth.

Written by Declan Murphy – WSU Sports Information Intern