Indoor Track & Field Sweeps GNAC Weekly Awards

WINTHROP, Mass. – Suffolk indoor track & field swept all six weekly awards presented by the GNAC with both teams topping each of the three categories after their effort at Tufts' Branwen Smith-King Invitational Saturday, the league office announced Monday afternoon.  

Emily Manfra and Allison Rodrigues garnered track and field athlete of the week, respectively, with Savannah Goddeeris taking home rookie of the week status for the women. On the men's side, Matyas Csiki-Fejer was named track athlete of the week, Michael Balestra earned field athlete of the week and Connor Baston repeated as rookie of the week.  

Suffolk's men's squad has been a powerhouse when it comes to weekly recognition. The Rams have swept the conference's awards three times, including this week, four if the co-honors from Baston Dec. 16, 2019, count. The women, earned their second sweep, first when all three awards were handed out. 

Overall, the Rams earned all six awards for the first time in program history.  

Manfra kept the tradition of athlete of the week and field athlete of the week wearing blue-and-gold. The senior from Stoneham, Massachusetts, repeated as track athlete of the week after sealing her spot at New Englands in the 800. The captain circled the track twice in a league-best time of 2:22.30 to finish third in the field of 39. Manfra, who already qualified for regionals in the mile, has been named to conference's top athlete over a seven day stretch four times this year. 

Rodrigues became the first female Ram to be recognized with a field athlete of the week nod. She secured her first indoor weekly recognition after competing in both the shot put and weight throw in Medford. The sophomore from North Andover, Massachusetts, put together a season and conference-best 11.29-meter toss in the shot put to claim sixth in the 40-competitor field. In the weight throw, the sophomore finished 21st with a 10.89-meter toss. 

Goddeeris garnered her first weekly award after finishing 19th in the 3000. The freshman, who calls Imlay City, Michigan home, compiled a 11.09.21 mark, which is the third highest finish in the 3K by a GNAC runner this season, behind her teammates Manfra and Emma Weisse. Goodeeris is the second-ever Suffolk female student-athlete to be tabbed behind Sarah Lawton, who earned the feat Dec. 16, 2019.  

Through six weeks of action, Suffolk's women's team has taken home nine of the league's 14 weekly honors. Manfra has four to her credit divided in half by athlete and track athlete honors, with Weisse (athlete), Mariama Kamara (track), Rodrigues (field), Lawton (rookie) and Goddeeris (rookie) with one-nod apiece.  

The trio of male honorees are repeat offenders with Baston earning his third rookie of the week, second straight. The rookie competed in a pair of events at Tufts and had the top conference finish in each. In the 60-meter dash, he clocked a 7.40 finals time and had a 23.62 time in the 200 to finish 12th in both events.  

Balestra, meanwhile, has been the only athlete conference wide to be the best field athlete in a week-span. His second straight nod comes after he threw against the top-10 opponents in New England in the weight throw and finished eighth. The sophomore, from Lincoln, Rhode Island, put together a 15.06-meter toss to land in the top-10 of the 37-opponent field.  

Csiki-Fejer collected his second athlete of the week nod, first solely as track athlete, after qualifying for New Englands in the mile. The sophomore from Saint Louis, Missouri, finished the mile in 4:25.50 to finish ninth in the field of 49. The mile is the second event Csiki-Fejer has punched his regional ticket for, as he already sealed his spot in the 3K at Boston University's Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener Dec. 7, 2019.  

The men have grabbed 10 of the league's 14 weekly awards this season. Baston holds the most with four nods, three rookie and one athlete. Csiki-Fejer and Balestra each have two with Cole Bolduc (rookie) and Robert Solari (track) picking up accolades as well. 

Suffolk looks to continue the momentum as it is two weeks away from the GNAC Championships. The Rams will prep for the inaugural conference championship next weekend at the Panther Invitational Saturday, Feb. 8.