Indoor Track & Field Starts 2021-22 at Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener Saturday

BOSTON – Suffolk men's and women's indoor track & field teams will begin its 2021-22 campaign across town to Boston University for the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener Saturday, Dec. 4.

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

SUFFOLK ATHLETICS 2021-22 FAN POLICY
Suffolk University Athletics, following guidance from the University's health and safety protocols, Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), Centers for Disease Control and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, plans to allow fans to attend home athletic contests during the 2021-22 academic and athletic year.

Fans, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, can attend games. They must be masked the entire time they are on campus, pursuant to institutional policy, and complete a health screening form at the security desk of each building upon arrival. This policy applies to home contests played on campus at the Ridgeway Building's Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court, as well as the Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink and the Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.

For outdoor outings, specifically at East Boston Memorial Park, fans are asked to respect COVID safety protocols. At this time, masks will not be mandated for fans no matter vaccinated status at outdoor venues.

MORE READING: Suffolk Athletics Announces Fan Policy for 2021-22

RAMS REWIND
Suffolk took 2020-21 off due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and will return to indoor competition for its fifth season after a successful 2019-20 where the Rams' men captured the inaugural Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) crown and the women finished as the league's runner-up.

SCHEDULE SYNOPSIS
Suffolk's fifth season, third will a full campaign, features seven events leading up to multiple championships including the New England Intercollegiate Athletic Association (NEICAAA) and GNAC Championships along with regionals and nationals.

MORE READING: Indoor Track & Field's 2021-22 Schedule Unveiled 

GNAC GREATS
Suffolk men's indoor track & field captured the inaugural GNAC Championship back in 2020 and looks to repeat and be the only program to hoist the crown this year. The women, meanwhile, look to improve on its second-place showing two years ago and capture the title for the first time in program history. 

The Rams will be joined by their conference counterparts at Boston University Sunday, Feb. 13. 

RAMS ROSTER [ MEN ]
The fifth edition of the Suffolk men's indoor track & field squad is the largest to date with 48 competitors.

RAMS ROSTER [ WOMEN ]
Suffolk women's indoor track & field roster boasts 45 student-athletes, the longest in the program's five-year history. 

RAMS RINGLEADERS [ MEN ]
Suffolk men's indoor track & field will have the largest leadership group in program history as eight student-athletes have been given a share of the captain title for the upcoming 2021-22 season head coach Will Feldman unveiled. Seniors Michael Balestra, Matyas Csiki-Fejer, Robert Solari and Hunter Toyoda return to their management role with their classmate Nic Malm, junior Joshua Smith and sophomore Turner Mitchell starting their first term.  

MORE READING: Men's Indoor Track & Field to Have Eight Captains in 2021-22 

RAMS RINGLEADERS [ WOMEN ]
Suffolk women's indoor track & field will be under the leadership of seven student-athletes has head coach Will Feldman announced seniors Allison Rodrigues and Skyler Spanbauer, juniors Nicole DiBenedetto and Sarah Lawton and sophomores Jocelyn Triscik, Amanda Walden and Lauren Wood will share the captain role.  

MORE READING: Seven Selected 2021-22 Women's Indoor Track & Field Captains 

RAMS ROOKIES [ MEN ]
Suffolk men's indoor track & field's roster is one of the biggest to date and that's in large part to the 20 Rams rookies that head coach Will Feldman brought in over the off season. 

MORE READING: Men's Indoor Track & Field's 2021-22 Roster Boosted by 20 Newcomers

RAMS ROOKIES [ WOMEN ]
Over the off-season, head coach Will Feldman has assembled a 21-member recruiting class to boost the Suffolk women's indoor track & field roster for the 2021-22 campaign.  

MORE READING: Women's Indoor Track & Field Brings in 21 Rookies for 2021-22

GEOGRAPHY 101 [ MEN ]
Suffolk's 48 competitors represent a dozen states. The bulk of the roster hails from the Bay State with 30 Massachusetts natives. Four Rams came to Beantown from Connecticut with two student-athletes from New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington. California, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Utah are called home by one student-athlete each. 

GEOGRAPHY 101 [ WOMEN ]
The bulk of the Rams' women's roster is Bay State locals with 24 student-athletes hailing from Massachusetts. Five competitors are from the opposite coast, California specifically, with Connecticut and New Hampshire represented by four and three, respectively. A pair of Rams are from Maine, Michigan and New York with one competitor from Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

CLASS CATEGORIES [ MEN ]

Suffolk's squad is 68.8 percent (33-48) underclassmen with 16 true freshmen and 17 sophomores on roster. There is one graduate student, Nicholas Nunez, nine seniors and five juniors to round out the Rams' team. 

CLASS CATEGORIES [ WOMEN ]
There is a bulk of experience with a baker's dozen upperclassmen divided into seven seniors and six juniors. The main portion of the roster though is underclassmen with 18 true freshmen and 14 sophomores. 

COACH'S CORNER
Will Feldman returns for his fifth year a the helm of Suffolk's cross country and track & field programs. 

Both Josh Brodin and Tim Morse (throws) are back on Feldman's staff as assistant coaches with Greg McBride (sprints & hurdles), Danielle Poublon (jumps & multis) and Mai Lin Vankirk (distance) joining the fold this year as well. 

COACH'S QUOTE
"BU is a great facility, and with great competition from DI and DII schools it will be an excellent opportunity for us to perform at a high level to start the season," Will Feldman said. 

THE FIELD
Over 40 schools that represent all NCAA divisions will converge at BU Saturday. The Rams will be joined by familiar foes Endicott, Gordon and MIT. 

SUFFOLK'S SQUAD
The blue-and-gold will be represented by 60 student-athletes Saturday.

SUFFOLK STANDOUTS [ MEN ]

• Michael Balestra (weight throw), Cole Bolduc (400), Kely Maloney (1000) and Selvin Backert (1000) will look to burst on the scene and aim to put together regional qualifying performances.
• Matthew Smith (weight throw & shot put) and Carter Nevulis (60 hurdles & long jump) are two rookies that may have standout showings from the get go.
• Nic Malm and Hunter Toyoda are set to race the mile.
• Robert Solari and Joshua Smith will lead the men's 4x400 relay in its season debut.

RAMS TO KEEP AN EYE ON [ WOMEN ]

• A handful of women are attempting to punch their tickets to regionals in Julia Leavey (high jump), Allison Rodrigues (shot put), Emily Concepcion (400), Sydney Fogg (1000) and Caitlyn Filloramo (weight throw).
• Gwen Koziara will make her indoor debut in the 5k, while her classmates Lydia Comprosky and Gracie O'Connell will compete in the weight throw.
• Lauren Wood and Amanda Walden look to break Suffolk's record in the long jump and 200, respectively. 

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
Suffolk will conclude its first semester slate next Saturday, Dec. 11 at Northeastern's Joe Donahue Games at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.